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INDIRECT 


TESTIMONY  OF  HISTORY 


TO    THE 


GENUINENESS  OF  THE  GOSPELS. 


BY 

FREDERIC  ^HUIDEKOPER. 


NEW  YORK: 
JAMES     MILLER. 

1879. 


Copyrifjht, 

By    FREDERIC   HUIDEKOPEU 

1879. 


University  Prkss: 
John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridot;. 


PREFACE. 


The  history  of  mankind  evinces  that  civilization  lias 
been  highest  in  communities  where  conscience  and  hope- 
fulness have  been  most  developed.^  It  further  shows 
that  these  have  been  most  developed  in  communities 
bavins  most  faith  in  a  Moral  Euler  of  the  universe,  to 
whom  mankind  are  responsible,  and  in  whom  they  can 
trust.2  Yet  further :  no  comnmnity  without  belief  in 
revelation  has  ever  believed  in  such  a  Euler. 

If  we  now  turn  to  the  question  of  revelation  we  find  at 
least  two  communications,  one  through  Moses  and  a  later 
one  through  Jesus,  which  claim  to  be  from  God,  and  the 
evidence  for  which,  internal  or  external,  claims  respect- 
ful attention.  The  one  through  Moses  is  so  buried  in  a 
remote  antiquity  as  to  furnish  us  with  little  or  no  exter- 
nal evidence  save  what  we  find  in  the  Old  Testament  and 
in  the  influence  which  Judaism  exercised  on  Greek  civ- 
ilization.    The  other,  through  Jesus,  is  at  a  date  when 

1  See  Judaism  at  Rome,  pp.  364,  367-371,  382-386. 

2  See  Judaism,  pp.  367,  370,  386. 


IV  PREFACE. 

external  evidence,  direct  or  indirect,  is  more  abundant 
and  permits  more  thorough  scrutiny. 

Our  knowledge  of  Jesus  and  liis  teacliing  rests  chiefly 
on  the  genuineness  and  trustworthiness  of  four  records 
termed  Gospels.  The  direct  evidence  for  their  genuine- 
ness lias  been  repeatedly  given.  The  following  work 
is   an  effort  to  present  some  of  the  indirect  evidence. 

There  are  individuals  who  in  a  qiiestion  of  this  kind 
reject  any  evidence  for  what  is  supernatural.  Some  do 
this  heedlessly  because  indifferent  to  the  subject ;  some 
do  it  impatiently  from  antagonism  to  what  they  deem 
human  credulity  ;  others  who  appreciate  the  subject  find 
themselves  unable  to  credit  an  interruption  to  the  laws  of 
nature.  For  these  last  mentioned  a  suggestion  is  placed 
in  the  note.^ 

In  the  Appendix  various  fraudulent  works  by  Chris- 
tians are  given  in  Notes  A  to  K  inclusive.     In  these  no 

'  No  fact  can  be  better  established  than  that  the  earth  at  no  compai-a- 
tively  remote  period  was  uninliabited  by  mankind.  They  now  live  upon 
it,  and  it  is  obvious  from  geology  that  they  originally  were,  as  now,  dis- 
tinct from,  and  independent  of,  any  known  animal.  When  the  first 
human  pair,  or  pairs,  came  into  existence,  it  could  not  have  been  as  help- 
less infants.  They  must  have  had  capacity  to  care  for  themselves.  This 
formation  of  two  or  more  mature  human  beings,  destitute  of  parents, 
must  unquestionably  have  taken  place.  No  recorded  human  experience 
has  witnessed  such  an  event,  nor  is  there  any  natural  law  to  which  it  can 
be  referred.  Yet  this  fact,  though  obviously  a  miracle,  is  one  which  it 
seems  impossible  to  reject.  Does  not  a  consideration  of  it  render  easy 
the  supposition  that  the  Being  who  formed  man  would  interpose  for  his 
education  ? 


PREFACE.  V 

miracles  are  attributed  to  Jesus  except  those  found  in  our 
Gospels.  This  claims  especial  attention  in  the  earliest 
of  them,  the  Acts  of  Pilate,  wherein  §§  8,  9,  should  be 
studied.  The  inference  is  fair  that  in  the  first  half,  or 
perhaps  in  the  first  quarter,  of  the  second  century,  the 
history  of  Jesus  was  so  well  established  that  even  the 
author  of  a  fraud,  anxious  to  magnify  the  Master,  did  not 
venture  in  this  respect  to  vary  from  it. 

Of  these  fraudulent  works  some  were  translated  by  the 
author  and  some  are  given  in  extant  translations.  He 
had  intended  revising  both,  except  in  the  Ascension  of 
Isaiah,  that  being  from  the  ^thiopic,  of  which  he  is 
ignorant.  The  condition  of  his  sight  has  precluded  such 
revision.  Its  absence  will  not  affect  the  argument,  but 
may  the  interpretation  of  particidar  passages.  He  could 
have  wis] led  also  further  time  for  research  on  more  than 
one  point.  Other  and  more  imperative  duties,  however, 
claim  what  remains  to  him  of  vision.  In  bringing  his 
work  to  a  close  he  must  acknowledge  deep  indebted- 
ness to  Professor  E.  Abbot,  of  Cambridge,  for  valuable 
aid. 

Meadville,  Pa.,  July  28,  1879. 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

CONTROVERSIAL   WANTS    OF    THE    EARLY   CHRISTIANS. 
Section  Page 

I.    These  called  for  Jewish  or  Heathen  Records  of  Jesus  .       1 
II.    They  occasion  Pseudo-IIeatlien  and  Jewish  Documents      3 


Class  1.     Pseudo-Records  concerning  Jesus  • 
•  "     2.     Pseudo-Records  concerning  Christians 

"     3.     Pseudo-Predictions 

"     4.     Pseudo-Teaching 

III.     Alleged  Uncanonical  Gospels 


CHAPTER    II. 

CONTROVERSIES. 

I.    Between  Jew'ish  and  Gentile  Christians 8 

II.    Between  Jews  and  Christians 11 

1 .  The  Ceremonial  Law 11 

2.  The  Messialiship  of  Jesus 13 

HI.    Between  Heathens  and  Christians 14 

1.  Concerning  God.    Whether  but  One  ?    Did  He  create  the 

Universe  V     Was  He  Corporeal?     Did  He  take  Interest 

in  Human  Morality  V 15 

2.  Concerning  Jesus.     His  Divine  Mission  proved  by  (1)  Old 

Testament   Predictions,    (2)   Pseudo-Heathen    Records, 

and  (3)  Character  of  his  Teachings If) 

3.  Concerning  Heathen  Deities 17 

4.  "           Idolatry IS 

5.  "           Antiquity  of  Christianity  and  Heathenism       •  18 

6.  "           Public  Calamities 19 

7.  "           Creation  of  Man 20 

IV.    Controversy  between  Catholics  and  Gnostics  ....  20 


Viii  TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   III. 

OPINIONS    OF    CHRISTIANS. 
Section  Page 

I.    Concerning  Heathen  Deities 21 

II.             "           Idolatry 27 

III.  "           Christ's  Mission  to  the  Underwoild     .     .  29 

IV.  "           Resurrection  of  the  Flesh 30 

v.            "          the  Millennium 31 

VI.             "           Restoration  of  Jerusalem  .....  32 

VII.             "           Rome's  Destruction 33 

VIII.             "           Beliar,  or  Antichrist     .     .  " 34 

IX.             "           Nero's  Return •     .  35 

X.             "           Conflagration  of  the  WorU 36 

XI.  "  God  devoid  of  Name 36 

XII.             "           Old  Testament  Tredictious 37 

XIII.  "          Jesus  as  Deity  of  the  Old  Testament  .     .  38 

XIV.  "           the  Personal  Aj>pearance  of  Jesus  ...  39 

CHAPTER   IV. 

CHRISTIAN   CUSTOMS. 

I.    The  Sabbath 42 

II.    Sunday  as  a  Day  of  Religious  Gatherings     ....  44 

III.  Eating  of  Blood 46 

IV.  Baptism 48 

V.    The  Lord's  Supper 50 

CHAPTER   V. 

DESIGNATIONS   FOR   GOD 51 

CHAPTER   VI. 

TERMS    APPLIED    TO    CHRISTIANS. 

I.    *A(rfj3e(f,  Unbelievers 54 

II.    Atheists 55 

III.  Christians 55 

IV.  Third  Race 56 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS.  IX 


CHAPTER   VII. 

TERMS    USKD    BY    CHRISTIANS. 
Section  Page 

I.     'Acrf/3)jy,  dcre'/Seia,  nvofxos,  di'OfjLui 56 

II.     2e^6fj.evos,  (po^ovufvos 57 

III.  Eva€(3tia,  fvae^Tjs 57 

IV.  Qeoa-tlSfia,  dfoaejSrjs 58 

V.     ' A8fX(f)oi,  ^fvoi,  iTtivTei 58 

VI.    AiKaun,  Just  Men 59 

VII.    Jesus  Christ 60 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS. 

I.     Public  Games 61 

II.    Slavery 64 

III.  Two  Wars 65 

IV.  Philosophy 66 

V.    Dress 69 

VI.    Origin  of  Evil 70 

VII.    Sibylla,  Bacis,  Ilystaspes 71 

VIII.    Prediction  and  Inspiration 72 

IX.    Spurious  Converts 73 

X.    Chronology  and  Divisions  of  Time 74 

XI.    Temporally  Disuse  of  the  AVords  Jesus  and  Christ      .  75 

XII.    Natural  Science 76 

XIII.  Literaiy  Heathens 78 

XIV.  Persecutions 78 

CHAPTER  IX. 

ROMAN   POLITICS. 

I.    Emperors 79 

II.    Political  Personages 81 

III.    Contest  with  Greek  Culture 81 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS, 

CHAPTER   X. 

Page 

SUMMARY   OF   ARGUMENT 83 


CHAPTER   XL 

DID    PSEUDO-RPXORDS    REACT    ON    THE    GOSPELS? 

No.  1.  Dream  of  Pilate's  Wife,  Matt,  xxvii.  19       .      •      . 

"    2.  Pilate  washes  liis  Hands,  Matt,  xxvii.  24,  25     • 

"    3.  The  Dead  of  former  Times  arise.  Matt,  xxvii.  52,  5-3 

"    4.  The  Tomb  Sealed  and  Guarded,  Matt,  xxvii.  62-66 

"    5.  The  Soldiers  Bribed.  Matt,  xxviii.  11-15    •      •      • 

"     6.  Account  of  Judas,  Matt,  xxvii.  3- 10      .... 


86 

87 
88 
88 
88 
89 
89 


CHAPTER  Xn. 

TWO    FURTHER    QUESTIONS. 

I.    Correspondences  of  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke      ...     92 
IL    Style  of  John,  the  Evangelist 92 


APPENDIX. 
NOTE  A. 

Acts  of  Pilate 105 

Prefatory  Statement 107 

§  1.     Character  of  Charges  against  Jesus 108 

2.  Respect  of  Pilate  and  his  Attendant  for  Jesus 109 

3.  Regard  of  the  Common  People  for  Jesus 110 

4.  Homage  of  the  Standards  to  Jesus 113 

5.  Message  from  Pilate's  Wife 114 

6.  Answer  to  Imputation  on  the  Mother  of  Jesus 115 

7.  Pilate's  Conviction  touching  Jesus 118 

8.  Nicodemus  testifies  to  the  Miracles  of  Jesus 121 

9.  Those  cured  testify  to  the  Miracles  of  Jesus 123 

10.  Effort  of  Pilate  to  save  Jesus 125 

11.  Crucifixion  of  Jesus 128 

12.  Accompaniments  of  the  Crucifixion 132 

13.  Joseph  esteems  and  buries  Jesus 134 

14.  Heathens  testify  to  the  Resurrection 138 

15.  Jews  testifv  to  the  Resurrection 140 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS.  XI 

NOTE  B.  p^^ 

Pilate's  Report 142 

§  1.     Longer  Latin  Form 143 

2.  Shorter  Latin  Form 14o 

3.  Greek  Form 146 

NOTE   C. 

Correspondence  of  Abgarus  with  Jesus 149 

NOTE  D. 

Letter  of  Lentulus 151 

NOTE  E. 

Interpolations  of  Josephus 153 

§  1.     Concerning  Christ 153 

2.  Concerning  John  the  Baptist 154 

3.  Concerning  James 1^6 

NOTE  F. 

Edessene  Archives,  or  Pseudo-Thaddeus 158 

NOTE  G. 

Correspondence  opened  by  Seneca  with  Paul 161 

NOTE  H. 

Letter  of  Marcus  Antoninus 167 

NOTE  I. 

Ascension  of  Isaiah 169 

NOTE  J. 

Sibylline  Oracles 172 

NOTE  K. 

Hermes  Trismegistus,  Mercury  Thrice  Greatest      ....  179 


XU  TABLE  OF  COJJTENTS. 

NOTE  L. 

Page 

Alleged  Uncanonical  Gospels 182 

NOTE  M. 
Date  when  Jesus  was  Deified 190 

NOTE  N. 
First  Two  Chapters  of  Matthew 201 

NOTE  0. 
Publication  of  Mark's  Gospel 202 

NOTE  P. 
The  Baptismal  Formula 204 

NOTE  Q. 
The  Mission  of  Jesus 206 

NOTE  R. 
The  Ministry 213 


INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OE  HISTORY 


TO  THE 


GENUINENESS   OF  THE   GOSPELS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

CONTROVERSIAL  WANTS  OF  THE  EARLY  CHRISTIANS. 

§  1.   These  called  for  Jewish  or  Heathen  Records  of  Jesus. 

Christians,  in  spreading  their  Master's  religion,  alleged 
that  he  had  been  divinely  commissioned.  In  proving 
this  to  an  inquiring  and  candid  mind  they  could  in  most 
cases  use  our  Gospel  narratives,  becavise  the  internal  evi- 
dence of  their  truthfulness  would  suffice. 

In  dealing  with  opponents,  or  with  the  indifferent,  this 
evidence  could  not  be  used,  since  the  Gospels  were  pro- 
fessedly written  by  Christians,  and  this  very  fact  rendered 
them  inadmissible  as  proof  of  Christian  allegation.  A 
heathen  would  naturally  say :  "  Some  of  your  own  people 
wrote  these  books.  If  you  wish  me  to  credit  your  state- 
ments give  me  testimony  from  outside  your  ranks  as  to 
their  correctness.^     You  must  no*  expect  me  to  believe 

1  "You  distrust  our  writings  and  we  distrust  yours.  "We  invent  [you 
.say]  false  accounts  concerning  Christ." — Arnobius,  Adv.  Gentes,  1,  Tu. 
Tertullian  likewise,  after  stating  that  the  rulers  and  chief  men  of  the 
Jews  had  extorted  from  Pilate  the  cnicifixion  of  Jesus,  adds:  "He 
himself  had  predicted  that  they  would  do  so.  This  would  be  of  small 
account  if  the  prophets  also  had  not  previously  done  it."  —  Apol.  -21  ; 
0pp.  p.  22  A,  edit.  Rigault  ;  1,  p.  89,  edit.  Gersdorf.  The  prediction 
by  Jesus  rested  on  Christian  testimony  ;  that  of  the  prophets  did  not. 
Yet  Tertullian  may  have  meant :  If  you  can  attribute  the  prediction 
by  Jesus  to  human  sagacity,  that  by  the  prophets  was  too  early  to  permit 
such  explanation. 


2  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  I. 

your  own  testimony  in  behalf  of  your  own  assertions." 
Christians  were  thus  debarred  from  appeal  to  their  Mas- 
ter's history  in  evidence  of  his  supernatural  mission.^ 
They  could  cite  moral  teachings  from  the  Gospels  as 
approving  themselves  to  the  judgment,  but  this  was  all. 
Had  the  Gospels  been  fabricated  for  controversial  pur- 
poses, or  with  dishonest  intent,  or  by  persons  subsequent 
to  the  Apostles,  they  would  inevitably  have  been  ascribed 
to  heathen  or  Jewish,  not  to  Christian,  authors. 


2  Christians,  by  their  inability  to  cite  the  Gospels  as  evidence,  were, 
when  dealing  not  with  right-minded  inquirers,  but  with  opponents  or 
with  the  captious,  debarred  almost  entirely  from  appealing  to  their  Mas- 
ter's miracles.  The  true  cause  for  this  seems  to  have  been  overlooked  by 
all  writers,  many  of  whom  have  supposed  that  it  was  due  to  their  under- 
rating the  argument  from  miracles.  The  following  is  a  concise  state- 
ment of  the  conclusion  to  which  many  modern  scholars  have  anived. 
"  Of  the  evidence  from  miracles  he  (Justin)  scarcely  takes  any  notice. 
.  .  .  Miracles  were  regarded  as  of  no  rare  occurrence,  and  they  were  sup- 
posed to  be  wrought  by  magical  arts.  Christianity  might,  then,  have 
the  support  of  miracles  ;  but  this  support  would  be  regarded  as  of  trifling 
importance  by  those  who  were  believers  in  the  reality  of  charms  and  sor- 
cery. The  miracle  might  be  admitted  ;  but  the  evidence  derived  from  it 
could  be  invalidated  by  ascribing  it  to  the  effects  of  magic.  That  the 
early  Fathers  and  Apologists  really  felt  a  difficulty  of  this  kind,  there 
can  be  no  doubt."  — Lamson,  Church  of  the  First  Three  Centuries,'^.  39. 

The  insufficiency  of  this  explanation  is  obvious  from  the  following  con- 
siderations. 

1.  In  the  Pseudo-Heathen  and  Pseudo- Jewish  records  concerning  Jesus 
which  Christians  fabricated,  an  important  place  is  given  to  miracles. 
2.  Such  Christians  as  trusted  to,  or  were  willing  to  use,  these  records,  or 
who  thought  by  the  aid  of  prophecy  to  prove  the  statements  of  the  Gos- 
pels, show  no  hesitation  in  appealing  either  to  their  Master's  miracles 
or  to  those  connected  with  his  history.  Justin  Martyr  says:  "As  to 
the  prediction  that  our  Christ  should  heal  all  diseases  and  wake  the 
dead,  hear  what  was  said.  It  is  as  follows.  '  At  his  appearing  the  lame 
shall  leap  as  a  deer  ;  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  shall  speak  distinctly  ;  the 
blind  shall  see  ;  the  lepers  be  cleansed  ;  the  dead  shall  rise  and  walk 
about.'  And  that  he  did  these  things  you  can  learn  from  the  Acts  pre- 
pared under  Pontius  Pilate."  —  Apol.  1,  48  ;  0pp.  1,  232  C.  Tertullian 
mentions  the  darkness  at  the  crucifixion  as  miraculous.     He  says  that  it 


§  2.]       PSEUDO-JEWISH   AND   HEATHEN   DOCUMENTS.  3 

§  2.  Tliey  occasion  Pseudo-HeatJien  and  Psevdo-Jewish 
Documents. 

The  average  morality  of  Christians  much  exceeded 
that  of  heathens.^  Yet  Christianity  numbered  among 
its  adherents  some  who  were  unprincipled,  or  weak-princi- 
pled. The  number  of  these  was  comparatively  small  so 
long  as  Christians  were  in  a  decided  minority,  and  could 
offer  to  converts  neither  place  nor  profit  in  a  M^orldly 
sense.  Yet  a  hundred  and  twenty  years  after  Jesus 
taught,  that  is  about  A.  I).  150,  we  find  that  some  one 
had  already  supplied  by  fraud  the  want  most  annoying  to 
their  controversialists,  namely,  the  lack  of  heathen  testi- 
mony to  the  facts  of  their  ]\Iaster's  life.  At  that  date  we 
find  a  document  called  the  Acts  of  Pilate,  and  still  later 
a  professed  Lettek  from  Pilate  to  Tiberius.  Each  of 
these  documents  is  mentioned  by  but  one  writer  during 
the  first  three  centuries.  Probably  the  chief  use  made 
of  them  and  of  subsequent  forgeries  was  in  the  fourth 
century,  when  the  two  political  parties  which  advocated 

liad  been  foretold,  and  tells  the  heathens,  "You  have,  recorded  in  your 
archives,  that  accident  to  the  world.  .  .  .  Pilate  .  .  .  announced  at 
that  time  all  those  things  concerning  Christ  to  Tiberius." — Jpol.  21 ;  0pp. 
22  B  C,  edit.  Eigault  ;  1,  pp.  89,  90,  edit.  Gersdorf.  Compare  fuller 
statement  in  Judaism,  p.  442.  3.  Christians  appealed  to  their  own 
miracles.  Justin  .says  :  "Many  of  our  Christian  men,  adjuring  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  crucified  under  Pontius  Pilate,  have 
healed  and  do  now  heal  many  possessed  by  demons  throughout  the  world 
and  in  your  city,  [persons]  who  had  not  been  healed  by  other  exorcists 
and  enchanters  and  physicians." — Apol.  2,  fi  ;  0pp.  1,  296-298.  See 
also  Dial.  11,  cited  in  Note  P,  footnote  7,  and  compare  in  Underworld 
Mi<ssion;  p.  78  ;  3d  edit.  pp.  74  -  75,  the  vehement  challenge  of  Tertul- 
lian  to  the  heathens,  that  they  should  test  this  power  of  the  Christians. 
4.  Christian  apologists,  from  the  middle  of  the  second  to  the  middle  of 
the  third  century,  though  in  arguing  with  heathens  they  laid  extrava- 
gant stress  on  predictions,  yet  laid  none  on  those  by  their  Master  any 
more  than  on  his  miracles. 

^  By  heathens  must  not  be  understood  the  large,  though  in  the  second 
century  decreasing,  class  of  Gentile  Monotheists  who  adhered  to  Judaism 
rather  than  to  Christianity. 


4  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.   I. 

Christianity  and  Heathenism  were  nearly  equal  in 
strength.  Before  this  date  Christians  had  fewer  of  the 
unprincipled  in  their  ranks,  and  fewer  opportunities, 
even  when  so  disposed,  to  give  currency  to  any  forgeiy  in 
their  own  favor.  Subsequently  to  the  fourth  century, 
when  Christianity  had  the  upper  hand,  and  when  strife 
was  solely  or  chiefly  between  sections  of  its  own  follow- 
ers, the  authority  of  saints  and  martyrs  outweighed  that 
of  heathens.  Later  forgeries  were  in  the  name  of  Chris- 
tian leaders,  and  even  the  forgeries  which  already  existed 
were  correspondingly  altered ;  so  that  the  "Acts  of  Pilate  " 
became  the  "  Gospel  of  Nicodemus,"  while  the  "  Letters 
of  Abgarus  and  Christ "  became  the  "  Letters  of  Christ 
and  Abgarus  " ;  those  of  Seneca  and  Paul  being  headed 
"  Letters  of  Paul  and  Seneca." 

The  Pseudo- Heathen  and  Pseudo- Jewish  documents 
fabricated  by  Christians  may  be  classified  under  four 
heads. 

Class  1.   Pseudo-Records  concerning  Jesus. 

The  most  important  of  these  was  entitled  Acts  of 
Pilate.  It  professed  to  record  the  trial  of  Jesus  before 
Pilate.  During  this  trial,  the  persons  cured  by  Jesus  are 
represented  as  testifying  to  their  cure.  These  miracles 
were  thus  attested,  not  by  Christian  writers  who  could  be 
suspected  of  partiality,  but  by  the  records  of  a  Roman 
court.  The  varying  localities  in  which  this  document 
was  used,  the  various  prejudices  to  which  it  needed 
accommodation,  and  the  various  objections  which  it  had 
to  parry,  caused  alteration  and  re-alteration  of  its  head- 
ing, as  can  be  seen  by  appended  quotations  from  various 
MSS.*  Copies  of  this  document  from  two  different  texts 
will  be  found  in  the  Appendix,  Note  A. 

*  In  the  Codex  Monacensis  CXCII.  (designated  by  Thilo  as  Monac.  A.) 
the  title  reads,  "  Record  of  the  things  done  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  under 
Pontius  Pilate,  governor  of  Judea,  —  committed  to  writing  in  Hebrew  by 
Nicodemus,  ruler  of  the  Synagogue  of  the  Jews."  —  Thilo,  Cod.  Apoc. 

p.  CXXVIII. 

The   Codex  VcncliLS  bears  for  a  heading,  "Nari-ative  concerning  the 


§  2.]  PSEUDO-RECORDS   CONCERNING   JESUS.  5 

Next  after  the  above  the  most  important  fraud  was  a 
reputed  Letter  or  Keport  of  Pilate  to  Tiberius.     This 

estimable  suffering  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  concerning  his  holy 
resurrection,  written  by  a  Jew  named  Ennaius,  which  Nicodemus  the 
Roman  Toparch  translated  from  the  Hebrew  language  into  the  Romaic 
[that  is,  the  common  Greek]  dialect."  —  Thilo,  Cod.  Ajyoc.  p.  cxxvi, 
compared  with  statement  on  p.  cxxix,  U.  11,  12.  The  word  estimable 
is  doubtless  a  somewhat  late  addition  to  the  title,  not  earlier  probably 
than  the  fourth  century. 

The  Latin  manuscript  Codex  Parisicnsis,  1652,  has  prefixed  to  it  the 
following  :  "In  the  name  of  the  Lord.  [Here]  begins  the  Book  concera- 
ing  the  deeds  of  our  Lord  [the]  Savior  ;  by  Emaus,  the  Hebrew,  post, 
after  [or,  according  to]  Nicodemus." — Thilo,  Cod.  Apoc.  p.  cxxxi.x.  ' 

Paris  A  bears  the  simple  heading,  "  Records  concerning  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  which  were  made  under  Pontius  Pilate,  governor  of  Judea." 
—  Thilo,  pp.  cxxi,  489.  A  prologue  to  the  same  manuscript  will  be  found 
further  on  in  this  note. 

The  preface  to  Paris  D  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix,  Note  A,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  document,  and  should  be  compared  with  the  fore- 
going. 

In  the  account  of  Christ's  doings  in  the  Underworld,  which  was  subse- 
quently added  to  the  "Acts,"  is  a  statement  that,  "Joseph  and  Nico- 
demus immediately  announced  to  the  governor  all  these  things  which 
were  said  by  the  Jews  in  their  Synagogue  ;  and  Pilate  himself  wrote  all 
things  which  were  done  and  said  by  the  Jews  concerning  Jesus,  and  de- 
posited all  the  words  [thereof]  in  the  public  records  of  his  Prietorium. "  — 
Acts  of  Pilate,  Lat.  Vers.,  Thilo,  Cod.  Apoc.  p.  788.  This  would  fairly 
imply  that  the  action  of  Pilate's  court  and  the  testimony  given  in  it  had 
been  I'REVIOL^sly  recorded  by  himself. 

Tlie  heading  of  Codex  B  of  Pilate's  Epistle  blends  that  document 
with  the  Acts  of  Pilate,  or  implies  that  Pilate's  letter  merely  accompanied 
the  Memoirs.  It  reads  as  follows:  "Memoirs  [of  what  was  done] 
touching  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  under  Pontius  Pilate  .  .  .  and  also 
whatever  Nicodemus  narrated  as  done  by  the  Jews  and  chief  priests  sub- 
sequently to  the  crucifixion  and  suffering  of  Jesus.  This  same  Nico- 
demus wrote  in  Hebrew."  —  Thilo,  Cod.  Apoc.  pp.  803  n  -  804  n. 

The  headings  of  several  manuscripts  represent  this  document  as  found 
at  a  later  date  in  the  Prsetorium.  In  one  (Thilo,  Cod.  Apoc.  pp.  CXLI, 
CXLii)  the  person  finding  it  is  not  mentioned.  In  another  (Thilo,  Cod. 
Apoc.  p.  cxxxv)  he  is  said  to  be  the  Emperor  Theodosius  (A.  D.  379  - 
395).     In    some   this   emperor   is   said   to   have   found   the  account  in 


6  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  I, 

seems  to  have  been  less  used  than  the  preceding.  It  M-ill 
hereafter  be  given  in  three  different  forms  and  from  four 
different  texts.     See  Appendix,  Note  B. 

Yet  another,  first  mentioned  in  the  fourth  century,  is 
the  Correspondence  of  Abgarus  with  Christ,  given  in 
the  Appendix,  Note  C. 

One  more  document  attributed  to  a  lieathen  is  the  Let- 
ter OF  Lentulus,  not  mentioned  by  any  ancient  writer. 
It  resembles  the  preceding  documents  in  nothing  save  its 
alleged  heathen  origin.  They  were  intended  chiefly  to 
reproduce  the  facts  of  the  Gospels.  This  letter  was  an 
efl'ort  to  counteract  the  results  of  defective  judgment 
and  interpretation  among  Christians.  It  wiU  be  found 
in  the  Appendix,  Note  D. 

An  Interpolation  of  Josepiius  testifying  to  facts  in 
the  life  of  Jesus  will  be  given  in  the  Appendix,  Note  E. 

Hebrew  (Thilo,  Cod.  Apoc.  p.  cxxxiv,  note  133,  and  p.  CXLVI,  11.  1,  2), 
"wliiclx  would  imply  that  it  had  been  written  by  another  hand  and  merely 
deposited  in  the  imblic  archives  by  Pilate. 

The  prologue  of  Paris  A  says  that,  "  I  Ananias  [now]  prajtorian  pre- 
fect, learned  in  the  Law,  according  to  the  divine  Scriptures,  recognized 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  coming  to  him  by  faith  and  being  deemed  worthy 
of  his  holy  baptism.  Searching  the  records  made  at  that  time,  in  the 
days  of  our  master  Jesus  Christ,  which  the  Jews  laid  away  in  the  time 
of  Pilate,  I  found  these  records  in  the  Hebrew  language  —  translating 
them  also  by  the  grace  of  God  into  Greek,  that  they  may  be  recognized 
by  all  who  call  on  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  —  in  the  seven- 
teenth year  of  the  reign  of  our  master  Flavins  Theodosius  [A.  D.  395], 
the  sixth  of  Flavins  Valentinianus,  the  ninth  of  the  Indiction  [a  treas- 
ury cycle,  according  to  Pierer's  Universal  Lexicon,  of  fifteen  years].  All 
3'ou  who  read  copy  into  other  books."  —  Thilo,  pp.  490,  492. 

A  Preface  to  the  Latin  MS.  Cod.  Paris.  [No.]  16.;2  (Thilo,  pp.  491, 
493,  495)  agrees  in  outline,  though  not  in  detail,  with  the  foregoing 
Prologue.  Its  writer  calls  himself  "  Emaus,  a  Hebrew,  a  teacher  of  the 
law  among  the  Hebrews,"  but  does  not  claim  official  cajiacity  as  prefect 
or  otherwise. 

Additional  variations  in  the  heading  or  Prologue  are  cited  by  Thilo  ; 
but  the  foregoing  will  indicate  the  difficulties  and  perplexities  which 
constantly  presented  themselves  to  those  who  were  propagating  a  fraudu- 
lent narrative. 


§3.]  ALLEGED   UN  CANONICAL  GOSPELS. 


Class  2.    Pseudo-Records  concerning  Christians. 

In  the  fourth  century  Eusebius  mentions  a  document 
of  which,  under  the  heading  Edessene  Archives  or 
Pseudo-Thaddeus,  an  account  will  be  found  in  the  Ap- 
pendix, Note  F.     It  testifies  to  miracles  of  Tliaddeus. 

An  alleged  CoRREsroNDENCE  of  Senega  with  Paul, 
manifesting  his  respect  for  the  latter,  has  come  down  to 
us,  for  which  see  Appendix,  Note  G. 

An  alleged  Letter  of  Marcus  Antoninus  testifying 
to  the  miraculous  result  of  prayer  by  a  Christian  legion 
will  be  given  in  the  Appendix,  Note  H. 

Class  3.   Pseudo-Predictions. 

In  the  second  century  Christians  had  a  mania  for  find- 
ing predictions  concerning  Jesus  in  the  Old  Testament.^ 
Inability  to  make  these  ]:)lain  to  others  prompted  some- 
what later  a  forgery  called  the  Ascension  of  Isaiah, 
wherein  the  prophet  is  made  to  speak  more  plainly  than 
in  his  genuine  writings.     It  is  described  in  Note  I. 

Predictions  by  Sibylla  concerning  Jesus,  quoted  or 
mentioned  in  Note  J,  were  also  an  effort  to  fabricate  pro- 
phetic evidence.  On  Hystaspes  see  Judaism,  pp.  459, 
460. 

Class  4.    Pseudo- Teaching. 

Lactantius  quotes  views  common  among  Christians 
from  Hermes  Trismegistus,  "Mercury  Thrice  Greatest^' 
concerning  which  document  see  Note  K. 

§  3.  Alleged  Uncanonical  Gospels  in  the  Second  Century. 

An  erroneous  supposition  exists,  that  in  the  second 
century  Gospels  were  afloat,  out  of  which  the  four  now 
in  use  were  formed  or  selected.  To  avoid  distracting  the 
reader's  attention  this  subject  is  deferred.^ 


6  See  Ch.  III.  §  12  and  Judaism  at  Rome,  pp.  344  -  348. 
*  See  Appendix,  Note  L. 


8  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OP   HISTO£y.  [cH.  II. 

CHAPTER   11. 
CONTROVERSIES. 

§  1.  Between  Jewish  and  Gentile  Christians. 

In  the  Apostolic  Age,  from  the  moment  when  Chris- 
tianity numbered  Gentiles  among  its  converts,  a  con- 
troversy sprang  up  between  these  and  their  Judaizing 
brethren.  The  Gentile  Christians  were  regarded  by  tlie 
latter  as  aspiring  to  the  benefit  of  God's  promises,  while 
shrinking  from  the  burden  of  his  law.  Tlie  difficulty 
must  frequently  have  amounted  to  non-intercourse  be- 
tween the  two  schools  of  Christians,  the  separation  being 
as  sharp  as  if  they  did  not  recognize  a  common  master. 
Peter  on  one  occasion  visited  a  Gentile  Monotheist  of 
blameless  and  benevolent  life,  of  whose  benevolence  the 
Jews  received  no  small  share.  The  object  of  the  visit 
was  to  communicate  Christian  truth,  yet  Peter's  Judaiz- 
ing brethren  took  him  sharply  to  task  for  so  doing.^ 

Outside  of  Judea  tlie  dissension  as  to  whether  Gentile 
Christians  must  adopt  Jewish  customs  caused  the  send- 
ing of  a  delegation  to  the  Apostles  at  Jerusalem.  Here 
the  dispute  was  animated,^  but  resulted  in  a  decision 
not  to  require  of  the  Gentile  brethren  obedience  to  the 
laws  of  Moses,  though  it  did  require  of  them  obedience 
to  a  precept  in  Genesis,^  as  also  abstinence  from  meat 
offered  to  idols  and  adherence  to  Jewish  and  Christian 
views  of  the  relation  between  the  sexes.*     The  omission 

^  "  Tliou  wentest  in  to  men  uncircumcised  and  didsteat  with  them."  — 
Acts  11,  3. 

2  Acts  15,  7. 

8  See  Ch.  IV.  §  3. 

*  Among  heathens  the  view  seems  to  have  prevailed,  that  where  there 
was  a  mutual  consent  between  a  man  and  woman  no  wrong  was  done. 
This  view  can  hardly  have  been  universal  among  the  better  class  of 
heathens,    yet   it  evidently  prevailed  to  an  extent   which  retj[uired  an 


§  1.]  CONTROVERSIES  :  JEWISH  WITH  GENTILE  CHRISTIANS.    9 

of  any  requirement  as  to  truthfulness,  honesty,  and  other 
items  of  rectitude  is  due  to  the  fact  doubtless  that  no 
question  was  raised  concerning  these.  Both  parties  were, 
in  respect  to  them,  of  one  mind. 

Paul  regarded  the  ceremonial  law  as  not  binding,  and 
the  eating  of  meat  offered  to  an  idol  as  a  matter  of  indif- 
ference unless  when  it  might  mislead  others,  or  in  cases 
where  the  person  who  ate  deemed  it  wrong.^  He  taught 
that  Gentiles  could  become  Christians  without  observ- 
ing circumcision  or  the  sabbath ;  ^  and  it  is  possible  that 

express  injunction  on  the  subject,  an  injunction  for  which  Paul  would 
have  been  equally  zealous  as  his  more  Judaizing  brethren.  Some  of  the 
Gentile  Christians  may  have  held  laxer  ideas  of  moralitj'. 

*  "  Now  as  touching  things  offered  unto  idols.  .  .  .  Some  with  a  con- 
viction that  the  idol  is  a  real  being,  eat  even  yet  as  of  something  sacri- 
ficed to  this  being,  and  their  conscience  being  weak  is  polluted.  .  .  . 
We  gain  nothing  by  eating  and  lose  nothing  by  not  eating.  ...  If  any 
one  should  see  you  who  have  [as  you  think]  knowledge,  reclining  at  an 
idol-feast,  will  not  his  conscience  because  of  his  weakness  be  emboldened 
to  eat  idol  sacrifices,  and  your  weak  brother  will  be  lost  as  the  result  of 
j^our  knowledge."  —  1  Cor.  8,1-11.  "Whatever  is  sold  in  the  mar- 
ket that  eat  without  asking  questions  for  the  sake  of  conscience.  .  .  . 
And  if  one  who  is  an  unbeliever  inviteth  you  to  a  feast  and  you  choose 
to  go,  eat  whatever  is  set  before  you  without  asking  any  questions  for 
the  sake  of  conscience.  But  if  any  one  say  to  you,  This  has  been  offered 
in  sacrifice  to  an  idol,  do  not  eat  of  it  on  account  of  him  that  showed  you 
this."  —  1  Cor.  10,  25-28.  Noycs'  trans.  "  Let  not  him  that  eateth  de- 
spise him  who  forbears  eating  ;  and  let  not  him  who  forbears  eating  judge 
him  that  eateth  :  for  God  hath  received  him.  ...  I  know,  and  am  per- 
suaded as  a  Christian,  that  there  is  nothing  unclean  of  itself ;  but  to  him 
that  esteemeth  anything  to  be  unclean,  to  him  it  is  imclean.  .  .  .  And 
he  that  doubteth  is  condemned  if  he  eat,  because  he  eateth  not  with  con- 
viction [of  its  lawfulness]  :  for  whatsoever  is  not  [done]  with  confidence 
[in  its  lawfulness]  is  sinful." — Rom.  14, ,"?,  14,  2,3. 

®  "  For  in  Christianity  neither  circumcision  availeth  anything  nor  un- 
circumcision."  —  Galat.  5,  o  ;  6,1.').  "One  man  esteemeth  one  day 
above  another  :  another  esteemeth  every  day  alike.  Let  every  man 
be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind." —  Rom.  14,  .\  "I  went  up  to 
Jerusalem  with  Barnabas  [more  than  seventeen  years  after  becoming  a 
Christian],  taking  with  me  also  Titus.      I  went  up  for  the  purpose  of 


10  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY    OF   HISTORY.  [cH,  H. 

some  of  his  arguments,  if  rigidly  carried  out,  might  have 
seemed  to  absolve  Jews  also  from  these  observances.  A 
consequence  was  tliat  on  his  last  visit  to  Jerusalem  his 
fellow  Apostles  and  more  liberal  friends  feared  violence 
towards  him  at  the  hands  of  his  Christian  but  Judaiziug 
brethren^ 

In  periods  of  political  disturbance  which  caused  more 
than  usual  alienation  between  Jews  and  Gentiles,  this 
controversy  became  very  bitter,  intensifying  the  antago- 
nism between  the  two  branches  of  the  Christian  commu- 
nity, and  increasing  the  number  of  localities  where  this 
antagonism  amounted  to  non-intercourse.^ 

The  violent  advocates  of  ritual  observance  may  not 
even  in  Jerusalem  have  been  conscientious  observers  of 
vi^hat  they  advocated,^  yet  the  control  which  they  exer- 

a  disclosure,  and  I  communicated  to  them  the  Gospel  which  I  preach 
among  the  Gentiles,  —  privately,  however,  to  the  more  prominent,  —  that 
I  might  not  run,  or  have  run,  in  vain.  Neither  was  Titus,  a  Gentile 
who  was  with  me,  compelled  to  be  circumcised  ;  though  [an  effort  to  that 
effect  was  made]  because  of  false  brethren  pi'ivately  introduced,  that  they 
might  spy  out  our  freedom  in  Christianity  for  the  purpose  of  enslaving 
us,  to  whom  I  did  not  even  for  an  hour  give  in." —  Galat.  2,  1-5. 

The  words  translated,  "for  the  purpose  of  a  disclosure,"  are  frequently 
rendered,  "  in  accordance  with  a  revelation."  A  different  translation  is 
sometimes  given  also  to  the  remarks  concerning  Titus  ;  but  the  sharpness 
of  collision  is  not  affected  by  any  translation. 

1  "  You  see,  brother,  how  many  myriads  of  Jewish  believers  there  are, 
and  they  are  all  zealots  for  the  Law.  But  they  have  been  informed  that 
you  teach  all  Jews  among  the  Gentiles  to  forsake  Moses,  telling  them  not 
to  circumcise  their  children,  nor  to  walk  after  the  [Jewish]  customs. 
What  then  is  to  be  done  ?  The  multitude  will  assuredly  come  together  ; 
for  they  will  hear  that  you  have  come.  Do  therefore  what  we  advise 
you.  We  have  four  men  who  have  a  vow  on  them.  Take  these  and 
purify  yourself  with  them,  and  pay  the  expenses  for  them,  that  they  may 
shave  their  heads  ;  and  all  will  know  that  those  things  of  which  they 
have  been  informed  concerning  you  are  notliing,  but  that  you  yourself 
also  walk  in  observance  of  the  Law."  — Acts  21,  '20-24. 

"  See  Judaism  at  Rome,  pp.  254,  255,  and  on  266  the  text  prefixed  to 
note  30. 

**  "Now  therefore  why  do  you  provoke  the  anger  of  God,  by  putting  a 


§2.]  CONTROVERSIES:    JEWS   WITH   CHRISTIANS.  11 

cised  is  evinced  by  the  fact,  that,  in  a  locality  outside 
of  Judea,  not  only  Peter  was  temporarily  overborne  by 
their  vehemence,  but  also  Barnabas,  who,  though  a  Jew, 
had  been  born  and  brought  up  in  a  (jentile  locality. ^"^ 

Of  all  this  controversy  and  conflict,  not  a  trace  appears 
in  the  Gospels.  Had  they,  instead  of  being  honest  histo- 
ries of  earlier  events  in  Judea,  been  the  fancy  sketches 
which  some  have  supposed,  —  had  they  originated  in  the 
midst  of  this  struggle,  or  had  they  grown  by  accretion 
under  the  hands  of  those  who  were  engaged  in  the  dispute, 
or  living  among  the  disputants,  it  seems  morally  impossi- 
ble that  the  Master  should  not  have  been  made  to  say  one 
word  on  the  subject  at  issue. 

§  2.  Between  Jews  aiul  Christians. 

This  controversy  may  be  divided  into  two  parts :  1.  Was 
the  Ceremonial  Law  essential  to  salvation  ?  2.  Was  Jesus 
the  Christ  ? 

The  first  of  these  questions  brought  out  essentially  the 
same  points  and  counterpoints  as  the  discussion  in  the 
preceding  section.  Christians  affirmed  that  Abel,  Enoch, 
Noah,  and  others  had  been  acceptable  to  God  without 
being  circumcised,  and  therefore  that  circumcision  could 
not  be  essential  to  his  approval ;  that  Abraham  had  been 
acceptable  without  observing  the  sabbath,  and  that  its 
observance  therefore  was  not  binding.^^ 

yoke  upon  the  neck  of  the  disciples,  which  neither  our  fathers  nor  we 
were  able  to  bear  ?  "  —  Acts  15,  in,  Noyes'  trans. 

10  "When  Peter  came  to  Aiitioch,  I  withstood  him  to  his  face,  be- 
cause he  was  to  be  blamed.  For,  before  the  arrival  from  James  of  certain 
[Judaizers],  he  ate  with  the  Gentiles  :  but  when  they  were  come,  he 
withdrew,  and  separated  himself,  fearing  those  of  the  circumcision.  And 
the  other  Jews  dissembled  likewise  with  him  ;  insomuch  that  Barnabas 
also  was  carried  away  with  their  dissimulation."  — Galat.  2,  11  -  13. 

"  "We  say  that  faith  was  reckoned  to  Abraham  as  righteousness. 
At  what  date  was  it  so  reckoned  ?  After  he  was  circumcised  ?  or  when 
he  was  yet  uncircumcised?  It  was  .  .  .  while  he  was  uucircumcised."  — 
Rom.  4,  !',  10.  The  intended  inference  is  that  if  Abraham  did  not  need 
circumcision  as  a  means  of  becoming  acceptable  to  God,  neither  do  other 


12  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY    OF   HISTOKY.  [cH.  11. 

The  most  animated  opponents  of  tlie  Jews  were  tlie 
semi-Jewish  Christians,  who,  because  they  shared  largely 

men.  "  Let  no  one  then  call  you  to  account  about  food  or  drink,  or  a 
feast-day,  or  a  new  moon,  or  sabbaths  ;  wliich  are  a  shadow  of  the  things 
to  come."  — Coloss.  2,  l(J,  17,  Noijes  iraiis.  "  Why  do  you  turn  to  the 
weak  and  beggarly  rudiments  wliereunto  you  desire  again  to  be  in  bond- 
age ?  You  observe  days  and  months."  —  Gal.  4,  9,  lo.  The  meaning  is 
made  plain  by  the  following.  "  The  new  moon  and  sabbaths  I  cannot 
away  with."  — Is.  1,  l;!.     Compare  note  6. 

Justin  Martyr  argues  from  the  predecessors  of  Abraham  against  cir- 
cumcision and  from  the  i)redecessors  of  Moses  against  sabbath-keeping. 
*'  Have  you  any  other  blame  to  lay  against  us,  my  friends  .  .  .  except 
that  we  do  not  like  your  ancestors  circumcise  our  flesh,  nor  like  you  keep 
sabbaths  ovSe  ws  v/j.e'ts  ffa^^arii;ajij.ev.  .  .  .  This  is  what  we  wonder  at,  said 
Trypho  .  .  .  that  you  who  profess  evae^eiv  to  monotheize  practically 
.  .  .  differ  in  nothing  from  the  Gentiles  as  to  your  way  of  life  in  that 
you  observe  neither  feasts  nor  sabbaths."  —  Dial.  10.  "  The  law  given 
in  Horeb  [Justin  answers]  is  antiquated  and  concerned  you  only."^ — 
Dial.  11.  Further  on  he  argues,  "  It  was  on  account  of  your  wickedness 
and  that  of  your  fathers,  as  I  before  said,  that  God  commanded  you  to 
observe  the  sabbath  for  a  sign."  —  Dial.  21.  "  Observe  the  material  uni- 
verse, it  is  not  idle,  neither  does  it  keep  sabbaths.  Remain  as  you  were 
born  ;  for  if  there  was  no  need  of  circumcision  before  Abraham,  nor  of 
sabbath-keeping  and  feasts  and  offerings  before  Moses,  neither  is  there 
now."  —  Dial.  2:^.  "Tryjiho  answered,  Why  do  you  select  what  you 
please  fiom  the  prophetical  writings  and  make  no  mention  of  the  express 
injunction.s  to  keep  the  sabbath  ?  .  .  .  Because  [says  Justin]  I  supposed 
that  you  did  and  do  understand  that  if  you  are  commanded  throughout 
all  the  prophets  to  observe  these  same  things  which  Moses  commanded, 
it  is  on  account  of  your  hardness  of  heart  and  thanklcssness.  .  .  .  Else  as 
regards  the  Ju.st  Men,  who  were  Mell  pleasing  to  God,  prior  to  the  time 
of  Moses  and  Abraham,  and  who  neither  observed  circumcision  nor  the 
sabbath  ;  why  did  he  not  teach  them  to  observe  these  things  ?"  —  Dial. 
27.  Compare  Ch.  VII.  §  6.  "  As  therefore  circumcision  took  its  rise 
from  Abraham,  and  the  sabbath  and  the  offerings  and  the  feasts  from 
Moses,  and  were  instituted,  as  has  been  jiroved,  because  of  the  hardness 
of  your  people's  heart  ;  so  it  is  necessary  they  should  cease."  —  Dial.  4;?. 
"  If  any  one  should  ask  you,  seeing  that  Enoch  and  Noah  and  their 
children  and  several  others,  who  were  neither  circumcised  nor  observed 
sabbaths,  did  please  God,  what  can  be  the  reason  why  God  after  so 
many  generations,  Ity  other  leaders  and  tlie  promulgation  of  other  laws, 


§  2,]  CONTROVERSIES  :    JEWS   WITH   CHRISTIANS.  13 

in  Jewish  views,  were  the  more  anxious  to  make  promi- 
nent those  points  in  which  they  dif'i'ered  from  them. 

Of  all  this  acrimonious  discussion  nothing  appears  in 
the  Gospels.  None  of  the  points  made  prominent  by  it 
are  explained  or  enforced  by  the  Master. 

In  behalf  of  the  second  position,  that  Jesus  was  the 

did  vouchsafe  to  justify  the  posterity  of  Abraham  until  Moses  by  cir- 
cumcision and  those  that  succeeded  Moses  by  circumcision  and  other 
precepts,  that  is  the  sabbath  and  sacrifices  and  ashes  and  offerings  .  .  . 
unless  you  can  prove  that  it  was  as  I  said  before,  lest  you  should  give 
yourselves  up  to  idolatry  and  be  unmindful  of  the  true  God  .  .  .  unless 
this  be  the  case,  God  will  be  calumniated  with  not  having  the  knowledge 
of  future  events,  and  with  acting  partially  and  inconsistently  because  he 
did  not  teach  all  men  [compare  Ch.  VII.  §  5]  to  know  and  practise  the 
same  just  and  righteous  laws." — Dial.  92. 

"  But  that  God  gave  circumcision  not  as  a  fulfilment  of  righteousness, 
but  for  a  sign  that  the  race  of  Abraham  might  continue  discernible,  we 
learn  from  Scripture  itself.  .  .  .  And  that  man  was  not  justified  by  these, 
but  that  they  were  given  to  the  people  as  a  sign  is  evident,  because 
Abraham  himself,  without  circumcision  and  without  observance  of  sab- 
baths, believed  God  ;  and  it  was  reckoned  to  him  for  righteousness,  and 
he  was  called  the  friend  of  God.  But  Lot  also,  without  circumcision, 
was  led  out  from  Sodom  obtaining  the  salvation  which  is  from  God.  Also 
Noah,  pleasing  God  when  uncircumcised,  received  the  world's  expanse  in 
its  second  age.  But  Enoch  also,  pleasing  God  without  circumcision,  per- 
formed, though  only  a  man,  a  mission  [see  Judaism,  p.  486,  note  7]  to  an- 
gels. .  .  .  But  all  the  remaining  multitude  also  of  those  who  were  just  before 
Abraham,  and  of  those  patriarchs  who  were  before  Moses,  were  accounted 
just  without  the  before-mentioned  [observance  of  circumcision  and  sab- 
bath] and  without  the  Mosaic  Law."  — Irenaeus,  co?i<.  Hccrcs.  4, 16,  l,  2. 

The  author  of  the  Epistle  to  Diognetus,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
second  century,  says  of  the  Jews  :  "  But  as  to  their  horror  of  certain 
meats,  and  their  superstition  concerning  sabbaths  and  their  boasting 
about  circumcision,  and  their  pretended  observation  of  fasts  and  new 
moons,  which  are  all  of  them  ridiculous  and  not  worth  speaking  of,  I  [do 
not]  deem  that  you  need  instruction  from  me.  For  what  right  has  any 
one  to  accept  some  of  the  things  created  by  God  for  man's  use  as  if  they 
were  properly  created,  and  to  refuse  others  as  useless  and  superfluous  ? 
and  what  impiety  is  there  not  in  falsely  charging  God  with  prohibiting 
the  performance  of  good  on  the  sabbath  ?  "  —  c.  4. 

Other  quotations  bearing  on  this  subject  will  be  found  in  Ch.  IV.  §  1. 


14  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF  HISTORY.  [cH.  II. 

Messiah,  the  arguments  were  almost  exclusively  based 
upon  interpretations,  or  misinterpretations,  or  misapplica- 
tions of  passages  in  the  Old  Testament,  a  subject  to  which 
we  shall  hereafter  return.^^ 


§  3.  Between  Heathens  and  Christians. 

1.  A  prime  point  of  this  controversy  was  the  question 
whether  there  were  but  one  God,^^  or  whether  there  were 
many.  This  was  blended  with  the  question  whether  the 
universe  had  been  created,  or  at  least  formed  into  its 
present  shape,  by  the  Deity,  or  whether  the  deities  were 
of  subsequent  origin  to  the  universe.  If  the  universe  had 
been  created  or  formed  by  Divine  power,  then  the  har- 
mony of  its  design  implied  that  it  was  the  work  of  one 
mind,  not  of  many.  The  question  as  to  the  existence 
of  but  one  God  had  been  fiercely  debated  before  the 
appearance  of  Christianity,  and  it  is  plain,  from  the 
persecution  of  Monotheists  and  of  Christians^*    subse- 

12  See  Ch.  III.  §  12. 

13  <<  We  Christians  are  simply  adorers  of  the  Highest  King  and  Ruler 
with  Christ  as  our  magistro,  teacher."  —  Arnobius,  1,  27.  Theophilus 
argues  that  if  a  ship  be  seen  steering  steadily  to  its  harbor,  the  presence 
of  a  pilot  on  board  who  guides  her  becomes  obvious.  "  Thus  we  are 
compelled  to  perceive  that  God  is  a  pilot  of  the  universe."  — Ad  Autol. 
1,  r, ;  Ojip.  p.  16  B,  edit.  Otto  ;  p.  340  D  E,  edit.  Maran.  Compare  the 
application  to  God  of  the  term  Pilot  by  Jews  and  Stoics  in  Judaism, 
p.  51. 

1*  Prosecutions  for  unbelief  were  a  favorite  resort  of  the  Roman  aris- 
tocracy against  their  opponents,  subsequently  at  least  to  A.  D.  14,  if  not 
earlier.  A  strong  impetus  was  given  to  these  accusations  after  the  patri- 
cian rebellion  of  October  18,  A.  D.  31.  During  this  rebellion  the  aris- 
tocracy had  murdered  many  prominent  men  of  the  popular  party.  When 
prosecuted  by  relatives  of  the  murdered  individuals  they  defended  them- 
selves by  counter  charges  of  unbelief.  See  Judaism  at  Rome,  pp.  8,  534. 
And  the  professional  prosecutors  whom  they  hired  seem  in  many  cases 
to  have  been  paid,  not  by  the  individuals  who  employed  them,  but  from 
the  senatorial  treasury  (Dio  Cass.  58,  14,  quoted  in  Judaism,  p.  532),  an 
indication  that  the  remainder  of  the  senatorial  party  were  making  com- 


§  3.]      CONTROVERSIES  :    HEATHENS   WITH   CHRISTIANS.      15 

quently,  that  this  debate  had  lost  none  of  its  earnestness 
or  of  its  acrimony. ^^ 

Connected  with  the  question  wliether  there  were  a 
Supreme  Being,  the  creator  and  ruler  of  this  world,  came 
other  queries.    Was  he  corporeal  or  incorporeal  ?  ^^    What 


mon  cause  with  them.  A  Roman  consul,  wealthy  and  cultured,  a  near 
friend  of  the  elder  Pliny  and  relative  of  Caligula,  was  kept  for  seven 
years  in  his  house  by  charges  of  unbelief.  See  Judaism,  p.  211,  note  85. 
At  the  date  of  this  event  (A.  D.  31-37)  Christianity  can  hardly  have 
reached  Rome,  but  its  adherents  equally  with  other  Monotheists  must 
have  been  exposed  to  these  prosecutions  from  the  moment  that  they 
obtained  foothold  in  the  imperial  city. 

1*  Already  in  B.  C.  76,  when  a  monotheistic  document  imposed  on  the 
Roman  Senate  had  given  a  new  impetus  to  discussion,  Cicero  represents 
himself  as  present  where  one  friend  ridicules  and  burlesques  monotheism 
while  another,  who  had  under  the  guise  of  stoicism  upheld  it,  insists  on 
another  discussion  of  the  subject,  since  it  is  jsro  aris  et  focis,  "for  the 
dearest  of  human  possessions."  —  Cicero,  de  Nat.  Deor.  3,  (40),  94. 

1^  Heathens  believed  in  corporeal  gods.  Tatian  says  of  the  heathens, 
•'  Some  hold  God  to  be  corporeal,  but  I  deem  him  incorporeal." —  Oral. 
2,5  ;  p.  104  C,  edit.  Otto  ;  p.  265  B,  edit.  Maran.  When  monotheistic 
discussion  in  B.  C.  76  received  an  impulse  at  Rome  (see  Judaism,  p.  142), 
Cicero  makes  his  speaker  on  the  heathen  side  allege  that  the  existence 
of  a  god  without  a  body  intelligi  non  potest,  ' '  cannot  be  understood,  for 
he  must  necessarily  lack  perception,  understanding,  pleasure." — Be 
Nat.  Deorum,  1,  (12),  30.  "  For  you  know  no  pleasure  which  does  not 
originate  from  the  body."  —  De  Nat.  Deorum,  1,  (39),  111.  And  so  late 
as  the  tenth  century  we  find  the  statement  of  one  who  had  listened  to  an 
argument  that  God  was  a  spirit.  "  It  appears  that  God  is  nothing  at  all, 
since  he  has  no  head,  no  eyes."  —  Mosheim,  Ecc.  Hist.  2,  p.  137,  note  6, 
by  Murdock.  If  God  pervaded  the  universe,  as  Monotheists  and  Stoics 
believed,  the  question  whether  he  were  corporeal  involved  the  question 
whether  two  bodies  could  coexist  in  the  same  space.  An  opinion  of 
the  Stoics  (Philosophumena,  1,  -.'l)  quoted  in  Judaism,  p.  44,  may  have 
had  either  the  bearing  there  suggested  on  the  resurrection,  or  may  have 
been  an  affirmation  that  God,  since  he  pervaded  the  universe,  was  not 
material  but  spiritual.  Compare  also  (in  Appendi.x,  Note  M,  footnote 
21)  the  argument  of  Athenagoraa  against  the  existence  of  two  or  more 
unoriginated  gods,  part  of  which  seems  based  on  an  assumption  of  their 
coi"poreal  character. 


16  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  n. 

was  his  form  ?  ^"^  Did  lie  take  interest  in  human  moral- 
ity ?  18 

Of  this  delDate  nothing  appears  in  the  Gospels.  The 
recognition  of  one  God  is  assumed.  The  teacher  of  Chris- 
tianity supplies  his  apostles  with  no  arguments  on  the 
subject. 

2.  The  second  point  to  be  proved  was  that  Jesus  had 
been  authorized  and  commissioned  by  the  Supreme  Be- 
ing. Christians,  as  already  explained,  could  not  on  this 
point  appeal  to  their  Gospels  except  when  dealing  with 
right-minded  inquirers.  They  had,  however,  in  the  char- 
acter of  their  Master's  religion  a  great  advantage,  for  in 
the  countries  where  monotheism  had  spread  there  was 
a  large  number  of  right-minded  men,  who,  without  being 
inquirers  or  opponents,  were  likely  to  side  with  morality 
and  wortliy  conceptions  of  God,  as  against  the  follies  and 
immoralities  of  heathenism.  When  the  writer  of  the 
Oratio  ad  Graecos  affirmed  (c.  5),  "  Our  commander  does  not 
wish  strength  of  body,  nor  beauty  of  form,  nor  vaunt- 
ing of  noble  birth,  but  a  pure  soul  walled  around  with 
righteousness,"  he  must  have  found  many  who  would  at 
least  speak  respectfully  of  such  as  aimed  in  this  direction, 
and  who  would  defend  them  with  more  or  less  decision 
against  attacks  by  the  unworthy. 

In  dealing  with  opponents.  Christians  appealed  to  the 

"  Cicero  makes  his  heathen  speaker  argue  (see  Judaism,  Ch.  III.  note 
11)  for  the  human  form  of  gods  as  the  most  excellent  with  which  we  are 
accjuainteJ.  The  Stoics  held  that  he  was  spherical.  The  two  positions 
on  which  this  belief  rested — namely,  that  the  universe  was  spherical  and 
that  God  pervaded  it  — were  borrowed  from  Monotheists.  It  is  possible 
also  that  some  Monotheists  believed  that  God  was  spherical  in  form,  and 
that  their  anticipations  of  future  likeness  to  God  gave  rise  to  a  belief 
that  the  resurrection  body  would  be  spherical.  See  belief  of  Origenian 
monks  mentioned  in  Huet's  Origeniana,  2,  2,  9  ;  Origen's  Works,  edit. 
Lommatzsch,  23,  pp.  143-150;  edit,  de  la  Rue,  4,  (Appendix)  pp. 
200-215. 

Heathens  treated  a  spherical  God  as  necessarily  DEVOID  OF  HEAD,  and 
therefore  of  intelligence.     See  Judaitm,  p.  42,  note  4. 

18  See  Judaism,  Ch.  II.  note  3  ;  Ch.  X.  note  53. 


§3,]    controversies:  heathens  with  christians.     17 

Old  Testament^®  for  predictions  of  certain  facts  in  their 
Master's  life  which  heathens  admitted,  or  which  they 
were  not  in  position  to  deny,  and  argued  or  assumed  that, 
because  these  facts  had  been  predicted,  a  Divine  provision 
had  been  made  for  their  Master's  ministry,  a  provision 
which  would  not  have  been  made  unless  he  had  been 
commissioned  by  God.^*' 

In  Eome,  however,  we  find  two  appeals  by  Justin  Mar- 
tyr to  the  Acts  of  Pilate,  and  in  Africa  one  by  Tertullian 
to  Pilate's  Eeport,  in  proof  of  facts  in  the  Master's  life. 
Indirect  evidence  implies  that  both  documents  must  have 
been  more  used  in  Syria  and  Asia  Minor  than  at  the 
West.^i  The  letter  of  Abgarus  to  Christ  containing  sim- 
ilar spurious  evidence  must  also  have  found  some  cur- 
rency at  the  East.^^ 

The  discussion,  like  many  others  in  which  the  feelings 
of  disputants  are  excited,  was  largely  diverted  to  side 
issues. 

3.  A  third  point,  which  perhaps  occupied  more  space 
and  excited  more  feeling  than  any  other,  was  concerning 
the  heathen  deities  or  demons.  Christians  were  brought 
into  constant  collision  with  the  worship  of  these  beings, 
and  were  tortured  and  put  to  death  because  of  not 
worshipping  them.  Many,  instead  of  discrediting  their 
existence,  seem  to  have  been  equally  persuaded  of  it  as 
the  heathens  themselves.     They  regarded  them  as  super- 

19  The  author  of  the  Cohortatio  ad  Greecos  (close  of  ch.  13)  offers  to 
take  a  copy  from  the  Jewish  synagogue,  so  that  no  suspicion  of  Christian 
interpolation  could  find  place.  The ophilus  says  :  "All  the  prophets 
spoke  things  harmonious  and  accordant  with  each  other,  and  proclaimed 
beforehand  what  should  happen  to  the  whole  world.  The  issue  of  the 
predicted  and  now  accomplished  events  can  teach  the  lovers  of  learning, 
or  rather  the  lovers  of  truth,  that  the  things  predicted  through  them  [the 
prophets]  concerning  ages  and  times  before  the  flood,  from  the  time 
when  the  world  was  created  until  now,  are  true."  — Ad  Autol.  3,  17  ; 
0pp.  p.  230,  edit.  Otto  ;  p.  390  -  391,  edit.  Maran. 

20  See  Ch.  III.  §  12. 

21  See  Appendix,  Notes  A  and  B. 

22  See  Appendix,  Note  C. 


18  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF  HISTORY.  [cH.  II. 

natural,  malicious  beings  who  had  got  mankind  into  their 
power,  and  who  were  the  authors  of  all  the  evil  in  the 
world.2^ 

Heathens  charged  the  Christians  with  having  offended 
these  gods,  and  having  thereby  prompted  them  to  inflict 
miseries  on  mankind.^* 

4.  Closely  connected  wath  the  foregoing  was  the  sub- 
ject of  idolatry,  the  views  of  which  will  be  hereafter 
given.^^ 

5.  The  comparative  antiquity  of  Christianity  and  hea- 
thenism was  not  a  little  debated.  The  points  involved 
in  tliis  part  of  the  discussion  were  various  and  in  some 
cases  deserving  of  but  little  attention.^^  In  other  cases 
the  question  was  handled  with  more  judgment.  Arno- 
bius  {adv.  Gent.  2,  72)  takes  ground  that  the  antiquity 
of  God  was  in  no  wise  aft'ected  by  the  date  at  which  men 
began  to  show  him  due  homage.  Theophilus  alleges 
the  superior  antiquity  of  Christianity  by  treating  Moses 
as  a  part  of  it.^'^ 


28  See  Ch.  III.  §  1. 

2*  "  I  have  found  some  who  were  very  wise  in  their  own  opinion,  who 
raved  and  raged  and  declared  as  if  under  the  prompting  of  an  oracle  that 
since  the  Christians  existed  in  the  world  the  earth  was  perishing  and  the 
human  race  was  attacked  by  evils  of  manifold  kinds  ;  that  the  gods 
themselves,  the  usual  rites  being  neglected  wherewith  they  were  wont  to 
inspect  our  affairs,  had  been  driven  away  from  the  earth."  — Arnobius, 
adv.  Gcntes,  1,  1. 

25  See  Ch.  III.  §  2. 

26  Thus  we  find  a  statement  (Lactantius,  2,  14  ;  Vol.  1,  col.  327  A) 
that  Bacchus  cannot  have  invented  the  vine,  since  Noah's  drunkenness 
(Gen.  9,  -21)  implies  that  he,  an  older  than  Bacchus,  was  acquainted  with 
wine.  The  fact  that  he  and  his  family  alone  survived  the  flood  was 
regarded  as  proving  him  to  be  older  than  the  heathen  deities. 

2^  "  Our  prophet  and  servant  of  God,  Moses,  narrating  concerning  the 
origin  of  the  worhl,  iclated  in  what  manner  the  flood  took  place  over  the 
earth." — Theophilus,  ad  Jutol.  3  18;  0pp.  pp.  230-232  A,  edit. 
Otto  ;  p.  391  B,  edit.  Maran.  After  giving  the  sequence  of  Egyptian 
kings  after  the  time  of  Moses,  Theophilus  adds  :  "  So  that  the  Hebrews 
are  shown  to  be  older  than  the  cities  celebrated  among  the  Egj'ptians, 


§  3.]      CONTROVERSIES :    HEATHENS   WITH   CHRISTIANS.       19 

Again :  Moses  was  recognized  as  older  than  Plato  or 
Socrates,  and  from  Moses  the  latter  were  by  many  (com- 
pare Ch.  VIII.  note  14)  affirmed  to  have  obtained  their 
ideas.  The  Sibylline  verses  were  alleged  to  be  older 
than  even  Homer,  and  on  this  point  the  Christians  had  a 
controversial  advantage;  for  the  Koman  Senate  had  de- 
posited in  its  archives  as  an  authoritative  document  the 
professed  work  of  Sibylla,  which  predicted  that  Homer 
would  copy  from  her,  and  which  also  predicted  that 
./Eneas,  a  Monotheist,  would  found  the  Latin  kingdom, 
thus  making  monotheism  the  original  religion  of  Italy 
and  the  gods  of  Rome  a  subsequent  invention. 

6.  Heathens  charged  Christians  that  by  their  offences 
they  caused  the  gods  to  intiict  manifold  plagues  on  man- 
kind.28  To  this,  the  answers  were  various.  Some,  without 
denying  the  allegation,  or  at  least  without  denying  the 
whole  of  it,  argued  that  this  showed  the  contemptible 
character  of  the  gods.^^  Others  alleged  that  the  earth 
was  growing  old,  and  could  not  be  so  fruitful  in  its  old 
age  as  in  its  youth.^*^  One  writer  evinced  from  history 
that  the  calamities  to  which  heathens  referred  were  equally 

who  [the  Hebrews]  are  our  forefathers,  from  whom  also  we  have  the 
sacred  books,  which  are  older  than  all  [other]  compositions,  as  we  have 
previously  said."  —Ad  Autol.  3,  20  ;  0pp.  pp.  238- 240  C  D,  edit.  Otto  ; 
p.  392  D,  edit.  Maran. 

28  See  note  24. 

29  "  Although  the  whole  host  of  demons  and  spirits  of  that  class  be  sub- 
ject to  us,  yet  like  wicked  slaves  they  mingle  contumacy  with  fear,  and 
delight  to  injure  those  whom  they  otherwise  fear,  since  fear  inspires 
hatred  ;  .  .  .  those  whom  they  war  against  at  a  distance,  they  beseech 
when  near."  —  TertuUian,  Apol.  11.  See  also  views  of  Justin,  as  given 
by  Kaye,  in  Ch.  III.  note  2. 

83  The  belief  that  the  earth  was  growing  old  and  in  various  ways  de- 
generate seems  to  have  been  held  by  Jews  before  the  Christian  era,  from 
whom  it  was  copied  by  the  Stoics.  See  Jtidaism  at  Rovu,  p.  57,  note 
50.  In  a  Jewish  work  of  the  second  century  we  are  told:  "Since 
greater  evils  than  those  which  thou  hast  now  seen  happen,  shall  happen 
hereafter.  For  in  proportion  as  the  world  grows  old  and  infirm,  in  the 
same  proportion  shall  the  calamities  of  those,  who  dwell  therein,  be  mul- 
tiplied." —  2  Esdras,  Laurence's  Vers.  14,  l"),  IG  ;  cp.  com.  vers.  16,  17. 


20  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OF  HISTORY.  [cH.  II. 

prevalent  before  as  since  the  appearance  of  Christianity  ;2^ 
another  appeals  to  the  Sibylline  Oracles  (the  authority 
which  the  lioinan  Senate  had  recognized)  in  proof  that 
the  Supreme  God  controls  such  matters ;  ^^  another  calls 
attention  to  the  fact  that  the  gods  gave  no  law  to  men, 
and  asks  why,  therefore,  they  should  be  angry  at  non- 
obedience.  ^^  The  same  writer  tells  the  heatliens  tliat 
their  own  statements  of  Divine  doings  would  be  a  much 
surer  reason  for  Divine  anger.** 

7.  Heathens  did  not  regard  man  as  created  by  any  of 
their  gods.  Christians  alleged  that  he  had  been  made  by 
the  Supreme  Being,  or  by  his  Logos,  or  wisdom,  which 
they  personified,  or  by  the  joint  action  of  both.  Theophi- 
lus  says  (ad  AutoL  2,  18) :  "The  circumstances  attend- 
ing man's  creation  exceed  [any  capacity  of]  narration." 
See  also  in  Appendix,  Note  M,  the  text  prefixed  to  foot- 
note 17. 

Of  all  the  points  raised  and  discussed  in  this  contro- 
versy not  one  appears  in  the  Gospels.  Considering  the 
prominence  which  they  held  during  the  contest,  it  seems 
impossible  that  the  Gospels,  if  at  that  date  in  course  of 
formation,  should  have  borne  no  traces  of  them. 

§  4.  Between  Catholics  and  Gnostics. 

The  Gnostics  were  two  bodies  of  Gentile  Christians 
originating  about  A.  D.  140,  in  localities  widely  distant 
from  each  other,  and  of  whom  each  branch  was  in  many 
respects  intensely  unlike  the  other.     Both  these  branches 

'^  Arnobius,  1,  3,  4. 

82  Theophilu.s,  ad  Autol.  2,  3. 

**  "  By  these  [deities]  nothing  was  ever  appointed  or  sanctioned.  .  .  . 
What  justice,  therefore,  is  there  that  the  lieavenly  gods  should  for  va- 
rious causes  become  angry  at  those  to  whom  they  never  deigned  to  show 
themselves,  nor  gave  or  laid  down  any  laws  ?"  —  Arnobius,  7,  7. 
Compare  the  statement  of  Commodianus  :  "  You  pray  to  so  many  gods 
.  .  .  from  whom  there  is  not  in  the  [whole]  earth  a  [single]  law."  — 
Instruct.  8,  11.  8,  9. 

^  Arnobius,  3,  11. 


§  1.]  OPINIONS   CONCERNING  HEATHEN   DEITIES.  21 

of  Gnostics  held  that  the  Jewish  God  was  a  different  being 
from  the  God  who  sent  Christ.^  With  both  branches 
the  Catholic  ^  Christians  had  for  more  than  half  a  century 
a  violent  and  imbittered  contest. 

Of  this  Gnostic  controversy  nothing  appears  in  the 
Gospels.  Jesus  is  not  made  to  utter  anything  touch- 
ing it. 


CHAPTEE  III 

OPINIONS  OF  CHRISTIANS. 

§  1.    Concerning  Heathen  Deities. 

So  soon  as  Christianity  commenced  spreading  outside  of 
Judea  it  came  in  contact  with  heathen  belief  and  customs.^ 
Heathens  taught  the  existence  of  numerous  deities,  who 
even  before  the  Christian  era  had  by  some  Jews  been 
regarded  as  devoid  of  existence,  wdiile  others  deemed 
them  to  be  evil  spirits.  Some  questions  as  to  the  light 
in  which  God  was  thought  to  view  any  worship  of  these 
deities  will  be  considered  in  the  next  section. 


^  See  Judaism  at  Borne,  pp.  331  -  336  ;  also  the  second  and  third  vol 
umes  of  Norton's  Genuineness.  The  Gnostics  originated  during,  or  im 
mediately  after,  a  jirotracted  and  violent  war  between  Jews  and  Romans 
Their  existence  was  due  to  the  feelings  engendered  by  this  war. 

8^  By  Catholics  must  not  be  understoo<l  any  particular  denomination 
but  merely  the  main  body  of  Christians,  who  regarded  their  God  as  iden 
tical  with  the  Jewish  one,  but  were  variously  divided  on  other  points. 

1  At  Lystra  (Acts  14,  11-18)  we  find  heathens  on  the  point  of  sacri 
ficing  to  Paul  and  Barnabas,  whom  they  termed  Mercury  and  Jupiter. 
At  Athens  (Acts  17,  16-18)  Paul  is  stirred  by  the  idolatry  which  he 
witnesses,  and  is  charged  with  advocating  foreign  divinities.  At  Ephesus 
(Acts  19,  24-41)  the  shrine-makers  raise  a  tumult,  and  Paul  in  his  let- 
ters to  the  Corinthians  (1  Cor.  10,  14,  20,  21  ;  2  Cor.  6,  l(i)  finds  need  of 
directions  concerning  meat  offered  to  these  beings.  Compare  citations  in 
Ch.  II.  note  5. 


22  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  III. 

In  the  second  century  many  Christians,  as  already 
said,  attributed  nearly  all  evils  to  the  rule  of  these  dei- 
ties. Part  of  their  ideas  may  have  been  borrowed  from 
Jews,  and  some  may  have  been  superadded  by  themselves, 
but  their  vehement  expressions  of  feeling  show  that  their 
minds  were  filled  with  thoughts  of  the  contest  waged  by 
themselves  against  these  enemies  of  God  and  man.  The 
appended  passages  of  Lamson  and  Kaye^  give  certainly  no 


^  "  God,  he  [Justin]  very  gravely  tells  us,  having  fonned  man,  com- 
mitted him,  together  with  all  sublunary  things,  to  the  care  of  angels, 
whose  too  susceptible  natures  caused  them  to  trespass  with  the  frail  daugh- 
ters of  earth  ;  and  hence  sprang  the  race  of  demons.  These  demons  did 
not  long  remain  idle.  They  mixed  in  all  human  affairs,  and  soon  ob- 
tained imiversal  sway  in  the  world.  They  deceived  men  by  arts  of  magic, 
frightened  them  with  apparitions,  caused  them  to  see  visions  and  dream 
dreams,  perpetrated  crimes,  and  performed  numerous  feats  and  prodigies, 
which  the  fabulous  poets  of  antiquity,  in  their  ignorance,  transferred  to 
the  gods.  They  presided  over  the  splendid  mythology  of  the  Heathen, 
instituted  sacrifices,  and  regaled  themselves  with  the  blood  of  victims,  of 
which  they  began  to  be  in  want  after  they  became  subject  to  passions  and 
lusts.  They  were  the  authors  of  all  heresies,  fraud,  and  mischief.  Their 
malice  was  chiefly  directed  against  the  Savior  ;  whose  success,  they  well 
knew,  would  be  attended  with  their  overthrow  :  and  therefore,  long  before 
his  appearance  on  earth,  they  tasked  their  ingenuity  to  defeat  the  purpose 
of  his  mission.  They  invented  tales  about  the  gods  of  the  nations,  cor- 
responding to  the  descriptions  of  him  given  by  the  Hebrew  prophets  ; 
hoping  so  to  fill  the  minds  of  men  with  'lying  vanities,'  that  the  writ- 
ings which  predicted  his  advent  might  be  brought  into  discredit,  and  all 
that  related  to  him  pass  for  fable.  For  example,  when  they  heard  the 
prophecy  of  Moses,  Gen.  49,  lo,  11,  —  '  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart 
from  Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between  his  feet,  until  Shiloh  come  ; 
and  he  shall  be  the  expectation  of  the  nations,  binding  his  foal  to  the 
vine,  and  washing  his  garment  in  the  blood  of  the  grape,'  —  they  got  up, 
as  a  counterpart,  the  story  of  Bacchus,  the  son  of  Jupiter  and  inventor 
of  the  grape,  and  introduced  wine  into  the  celebration  of  his  mysteries, 
and  represented  him  as  finally  ascending  into  heaven.  They  were  exceed- 
ingly sagacious,  but,  with  all  their  astuteness,  found  some  difficulty  in 
interpreting  parts  of  the  above-mentioned  prediction  of  Jacob.  The 
prophet  had  not  expressly  said  whether  he  who  should  come  was  to  be 
the  son  of  God,  or  the  son  of  man  ;  nor  whether  he  was  to  make  use  of 


§  1.]  OPINIONS   CONCERNING  HEATHEN   DEITIES.  23 

exaggerated  picture  of  the  position  assigned  by  Justin  to 
these  supposed  malevolent  beings.  The  same  holds  true 
of  a  statement  by  the   latter  concerning  Tatian."^      The 

the  foal  spoken  of  while  he  remained  on  earth,  or  only  during  his  ascent 
into  heaven.  To  get  over  this  difficulty,  these  crafty  demons,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  story  of  Bacchus,  trumped  up  that  of  Bellerophon,  who  was 
a  man  born  of  men  ;  and  who,  as  they  tell  us,  mounted  on  his  Pegasus, 
ascended  into  heaven.  The  prediction  of  Isaiah  relating  to  the  virgin 
(7,  14),  they  said,  was  fulfilled  in  Perseus  ;  that  in  Ps.  19,  5,  '  strong 
as  a  giant  to  run  a  race  '  (which  Justin  seems  to  have  ajiplied  to  the 
Messiah),  in  Hercules,  who  was  a  man  of  strength,  and  traversed  the 
whole  earth.  Again  :  when  they  found  it  predicted  that  he  should  cure 
diseases  and  raise  the  dead,  they  appealed  to  the  case  of  -^sculapius,  who 
also  recalled  the  dead  to  life,  and  was  taken  up  into  heaven.  .  .  .  They 
'  hover  about  the  beds  of  the  dying,  on  the  watch  to  receive  the  depart- 
ing soul.'  The  spirits  of  just  men,  and  prophets  equally  with  others,  he 
assures  us,  fall  under  their  power  ;  of  which  we  have  an  instance  in  the 
case  of  Samuel,  whose  soul  was  evoked  by  the  witch  of  Endor.  Hence, 
he  continues,  we  pray,  in  the  hour  of  deatii,  that  we  may  be  preserved 
from  the  power  of  demons."  — Lamson,  Church  of  the  First  Three  Cen- 
turies, pp.  43-45. 

"  Actuated  [Justin  says]  by  a  spirit  of  unremitting  hostility  against 
God  and  against  goodness,  the  demons  instigated  all  the  persecutions  to 
which  not  only  the  Christians,  but  the  virtuous  among  the  heathen 
were  exposed.  They  also  excited  the  Jews  to  put  Christ  to  death.  They 
were  the  authors  of  the  calumnious  accusations  brought  against  the  Chris- 
tians. To  their  suggestions  were  to  be  traced  the  different  heresies  which 
had  arisen  in  the  Church  ;  the  unjust  and  wicked  laws  which  had  been 
enacted  in  different  states  ;  in  short,  they  were  the  authors  of  all  evil 
existing  in  the  world.  Among  these  evil  Angels  the  serpent  who  de- 
ceived Eve,  called  also  in  Scripture  Satan,  and  the  Devil,  was  pre-emi- 
nent ;  who,  together  with  the  other  apostate  Angels,  and  with  wicked 
men,  will  be  consigned  to  eternal  flames  at  the  consummation  of  all 
things. 

"With  respect  to  demoniacal  possessions,  Justin  says,  that  the  Chris- 
tians, by  abjuring  demons  in  the  name  of  Christ,  were  enabled  to  work 
cures  whicli  the  Jewish  and  heathen  exorcists  had  in  vain  attempted." 
—  John  [Kaye]  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  Writings  and  Opinions  of  Justin 
Martyr,  pp.  109,  110. 

'  "  The  sole  object  of  the  Demons  [Tatian  holds]  is  to  lead  men  away 
from  the  truth.     With  this  view  they  invented  the  Arts  of  Divination, 


24  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY  [cH.  III. 

author  of  the  Clementines  is  equally  unmistakable  iu 
treating  them  as  the  source  of  almost  all  evil.^  The 
views  of  Tertullian  as  given  by  Kaye^  are  not  exagger- 


and  set  up  the  Oracles.  They  employ  every  artifice  to  prevent  the  soiil 
from  rising  upwards,  and  pursuing  its  way  to  heaven.  .  .  .  One  great 
object  of  the  demons  is,  to  persuade  man  that  whatever  happens  to  him, 
either  of  good  or  evil,  whether  he  falls  sick  or  recovers  from  sickness,  is 
owing  to  their  agency.  To  this  end  they  invented  amulets,  philters,  and 
charms,  in  order  that  man  might  be  induced  to  trust  to  them,  or,  at 
least,  to  the  properties  of  matter,  rather  than  to  his  Creator. "  — John 
[Kaye]  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  Writings  and  02nnions  of  Justin  Martyr, 
pp.  203,  204.  The  demons  "  do  not  heal,  but  by  artifice  lead  mortals 
captive."  — Tatian,  Oral.  18  ;  0pp.  p.  82  C,  edit.  Otto;  p.  259  D  E, 
edit.  Maran. 

*  In  the  Clementine  Homilies  (8,  12  - 19)  it  is  said  that  the  angels 
who  inhabited  the  region  nearest  the  earth  took  to  themselves  earthly 
brides.  Their  children  were  the  giants,  by  whose  misdeeds  the  earth 
was  polluted  ;  they  were  swejit  away  by  the  flood.  To  mankind,  after 
the  flood,  who  no  longer  retained  the  pristine  excellence  of  the  race,  a  law 
became  necessar}',  and  it  was  given  through  an  angel.  "  But  you  as  yet 
Ignore  the  law  ;  for  any  one  doing  homage  to  demons,  or  sacrificing,  or 
partaking  of  their  table,  becoming  [thus]  their  bondsman,  partakes  —  like 
[others]  under  wicked  masters  —  of  all  the  punishment  which  they  in- 
flict. .  .  .  You  ought  to  know  that  demons  have  no  authority  over  any 
one  unless  he  first  becomes  a  participant  at  their  table."  —  8,  20.  See 
also  Jvdnism  at  Rome,  p.  362,  note  12. 

^  Tertullian  "asserts,  in  the  first  place,  that  there  are  spiritual  sub- 
stances, or  material  spirits  :  this  is  not  denied  even  by  the  philosophers. 
These  spiiitual  or  angelic  substances  were  originally  created  to  be  the 
ministers  of  the  Divine  will  ;  but  some  were  betrayed  into  transgression. 
Smitten  with  the  beauty  of  the  daughters  of  men,  they  descended  from 
heaven  [compare  Book  of  Enoch,  c.  7,  and  Judaism  at  Rome,  p.  484], 
and  imparted  many  branches  of  knowledge,  revealed  to  themselves,  but 
hitherto  hidden  from  mankind  :  the  properties  of  metals — the  virtues 
of  herbs  —  the  powers  of  enchantment  —  and  the  arts  of  divination  and 
astrology.  Out  of  complaisance  also  to  their  earthly  brides,  they  com- 
municated the  arts  which  administer  to  female  vanity  :  of  polishing 
and  setting  precious  stones  —  of  dyeing  wool  —  of  prei^aring  cosmetics. 
[Compare  Book  of  Enoch,  c.  8.] 

"  From  these  corrupt  angels  sprang  demons  ;  a  still  more  corrupt  race 


§  l.J  OPINIONS   CONCERNING   HEATHEN   DEITIES.  25 

ated,  though  they  may  need  slight  correction  from  other 
passages.^     He  has  also  given  the  views  of  Clement  of 

of  spirits,  whose  actuating  principle  is  hostility  against  man,  and  whose 
sole  object  is  to  accomplish  his  destruction.  This  they  attempt  in 
various  ways  ;  but  as  they  are  invisible  to  the  eye,  their  mischievous 
activity  is  known  only  by  its  effects.  They  nip  the  fruit  in  the  bud  ; 
they  blight  the  com  ;  and,  as  through  the  tenuity  and  subtlety  of  their 
substance  they  can  operate  on  the  soul  as  well  as  the  body,  while  they 
inflict  diseases  on  the  one,  they  agitate  the  other  with  furious  passions 
and  ungovernable  lust.  By  the  same  property  of  their  substance  they 
cause  men  to  dream.  But  their  favorite  employment  is,  to  draw  men 
off  from  the  worship  of  the  true  God  to  idolatry.  For  this  purpose  they 
lurk  within  the  statues  of  deceased  mortals  ;  practising  illusions  upon 
weak  minds,  and  seducing  them  into  a  belief  in  the  divinity  of  an  idol. 
In  their  attempts  to  deceive  mankind,  they  derive  great  assistance  from 
the  rapidity  with  which  they  transport  themselves  from  one  part  of  the 
globe  to  another.  They  aie  thus  enabled  to  know  and  to  declare  what  is 
passing  in  the  most  distant  countries  ;  so  that  they  gain  the  credit  of 
being  the  authors  of  events  of  which  they  are  only  the  reporters.  It  was 
this  peculiarity  in  the  nature  of  demons  which  enabled  them  to  com- 
municate to  the  Pythian  priestess  what  Croesus  was  at  that  very  moment 
doing  in  Lydia.  In  like  manner,  as  they  are  continually  passing  to  and 
fro  through  the  region  of  the  air,  they  can  foretell  the  changes  of  the 
weather ;  and  thus  procure  for  the  idol  the  reputation  of  possessing  an 
insight  into  futurity.  When  by  their  delusions  they  have  induced  men 
to  ofl'er  sacrifice,  they  hover  about  the  victim  ;  snuffing  up  with  delight 
the  savory  steam,  which  is  their  proper  food.  The  demons  employed 
other  artifices  in  order  to  effect  the  destruction  of  man.  As  during  their 
abode  in  heaven  they  were  enabled  to  obtain  some  insight  into  the  na- 
ture of  the  Divine  dispensations,  they  endeavored  to  preoccupy  the 
minds  of  men,  and  to  prevent  them  from  embracing  Christianity,  by  in- 
venting fables  bearing  some  resemblance  to  the  truths  which  were  to 
become  the  objects  of  faith  under  the  Gospel.  Thus  they  invented  the 
tales  of  the  tribunal  of  Minos  and  Kha<lamanthus  in  the  infernal  regions  ; 
of  the  river  Pyriphlegethon,  and  the  Elysian  Fields  ;  in  order  that  when 
the  doctrines  of  a  future  judgment,  and  of  the  eternal  happiness  and 
misery  prepared  for  the  good  and  wicked  in  another  life,  should  be  re- 
vealed,  the  common  people  might  think  the  former  equally  credible,  the 
philosopher  equally  incredible,  with  the  latter."  —  John  [Kaye]  Bishop 
of  Lincoln,  Ecc.  Hist.  Illnst.  from  Tertidlian,  3d  edit.  pp.  200  -  204. 
•  Tertullian  evidently  identifies  in  some  passages  the  demon  with  the 


26  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  HI. 

Alexandria,''  to  whose  opinions  an  additional  reference  is 
subjoined.^ 

Origen  and  Minucius  Felix  believed,  equally  with 
others  of  their  time,  in  the  active  agency  of  demons. 
Even  the  agony  in  the  garden  and  on  the  cross  seem,  in 
the  eyes  of  tJie  former,  to  have  resulted  from  anticipations 
of  contiict  with  them.^ 

heathen  deity.  See  his  Apology,  12,  cited  in  Underworld  Mission,  p.  78  ; 
3d  edit.  pp.  74,  75.  Kaye  has  not  made  sufficient  allowance  for  the  fact 
that  Tertullian's  views  were  somewhat  inconsistent  with  each  other. 

^  "Clement  speaks  of  apostate  angels,  who,  smitten  by  the  beauty  of 
women,  and  giving  themselves  up  to  then-  lusts,  were  cast  down  from 
heaven.  They  revealed  to  women  the  Divine  mysteries  which  had  come 
to  their  knowledge,  and  which  it  was  intended  to  keep  secret  until  the 
advent  of  the  Lord.  Thus  men  received  the  doctrine  of  Providence  and 
the  knowledge  of  sublime  things  {twv  fj-eTeupuv).  Demons,  according 
to  Clement,  are  hateful  and  impure  Spirits,  always  tending  dow-nwards  to 
the  earth,  hovering  about  tombs  and  monuments,  where  they  are  ob- 
scurely seen,  like  shadowy  phantasms.  He  couples  them  with  bad  an- 
gels, and  says  that  the  name  of  angels  or  demons  was  given  to  the  souls 
of  men.  In  some  places  he  applies  the  name  dalnoves  [demons]  to  the 
heathen  gods  ;  in  others  he  alludes  to  the  Platonic  distinction  between 
gods  and  demons. 

"  With  respect  to  the  worship  of  demons,  Clement  doubts  who  first 
erected  altars  and  offered  sacrifices  to  them  ;  but  says  expressly  that  the 
first  altar  to  Love  was  erected  by  Channus  (qu.  Charinus)  in  the  academy. 
He  speaks  of  a  demon  to  whom  gluttons  are  subject ;  but  says  that  men 
cannot  truly  ascribe  their  sins  to  the  agency  of  demons  ;  since,  if  they 
can,  they  will  themselves  be  free  from  guilt.  He  defines  the  passions, 
impressions  made  upon  the  soft  and  yielding  soul  by  the  spiritual  powers, 
against  whom  we  have  to  wrestle.  The  object  of  these  malevolent 
powers  is  on  every  occasion  to  produce  something  of  their  own  habits  or 
dispositions,  and  thus  to  bring  again  under  their  subjection  those  who 
have  renounced  them  (in  baptism).  In  the  case  of  demoniacal  posses- 
sions, the  demon  entered  into  the  possessed  person,  who  in  consequence 
did  not  speak  his  own  language,  but  that  of  the  demon.  The  magicians, 
however,  pretended  that  they  could  at  all  times  command  the  services  of 
the  demons."  —  John  [Kaye]  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  Writings  and  Opiri- 
ions  of  Clement  of  Alexandria,  pp.  359  -  361. 

*  See  Underworld  Mission,  p.  97  ;  3d  edit.  p.  93,  note  1. 

®  See  Underworld  Mission,  §  XV.     Origen,  however,  believed  equally 


§  2.]  OPINIONS    CONCERNING   IDOLATRY.  27 

The  overthrow  of  these  demons  was  sometimes  held  up 
as  the  object  of  Christ's  mission.  Justin  ULaxtyr  says  {Ajwl. 
2,  6) :  "  He  became  man  .  .  .  that  he  might  overthrow 
the  demons." 

If  we  now  turn  to  the  Gospels  we  find  not  one  word 
concerning  the  heathen  deities.  The  Teacher  of  teachers 
does  not  even  allude,  as  there  represented,  to  this  fearful 
contiict  which  his  followers  were  to  wage  at  every  step 
through  life.  Any  demons  mentioned  in  the  Gospels 
are  simply  depicted  as  authors  of  some  physical  disease, 
but  are  nowhere  identified  with  the  heathen  deities,  nor 
represented  as  objects  of  worship.  It  is  morally  impos- 
sible, if  the  early  Christians  had  tampered  with  their  Mas- 
ter's history,  that  this  —  to  them  all  absorbing  —  subject 
should  have  been  totally  overlooked,  and  no  teachings  in 
regard  to  it  have  been  ascribed  to  the  Master. 

§  2.  Concerning  Idolatry. 

Distinct  from  any  question  as  to  the  origin  and  char- 
acter of  these  beings  was  their  identification  with  the 
wooden  or  metallic  or  earthenware  images  which  were 
supposed  to  represent  them.  This  treatment  of  an  image 
as  a  god  was  heartily  ridiculed  by  Christians,  as  it  had 
been  (Wisdom  of  Solomon,  13,  ii  - 19)  by  Jews  before  them. 
When  the  image  was  of  wood,  or  of  cheap  metal,  or  of 
pottery,  they  took  satisfaction  in  pointing  out  its  defects, 
or  the  base  uses  to  which  chance  only  prevented  it  from 
being  applied.  If  it  were  of  costly  metal,  Christians 
pointed  out  that  the  god  needed  a  guard  to  prevent  him 
from  being  stolen.  The  Epistle  to  Diognetus  (§  2)  con- 
denses these  arguments. 

in  the  ministry  of  good  angels  ;  see  Lamson,  Church  of  the  First  Three 
Centuries,  pp.  195,  196,  and  Huet,  Origeniana,  2,  2,  5 ;  pp.  272  -  350  in 
Vol.  22  of  Lommatzsch's  Origen. 

"  By  these  and  similar  fables  the  same  demons  have  filled  the  ears  of 
the  inexperienced  that  they  might  excite  an  execrating  horror  against  us." 
—  Minucius  Felix,  Octavius,  28,  pp.  142,  143,  edit.  Davis.  Minucius 
had  previously  given  a  list  of  crimes  charged  against  Christians,  among 
which  (p.  142,  compare  p.  49)  was  the  eating  of  infants. 


28  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY    OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  III. 

Another  question  concerning  Idolatry  was  ethical :  Did, 
or  did  not,  God  regard  it  as  a  crime  the  most  serious 
which  his  children  could  commit  ? 

Before  attending  to  this,  it  may  be  well  to  say  that, 
even  prior  to  the  Christian  era,  Idolatry  was  by  the 
ruling  classes  kept  up  for  political  reasons.  (Compare 
Judaism,  p.  155  n.)  In  the  reign  of  Claudius,  A.  D.  41  - 
54,  it  had  died  out  at  Eome  and  needed  to  be  revived. 
The  effort  to  revive  it  was  merely  a  political  one,  yet  the 
privileged  classes,  who  labored  for  its  restoration,  seem  to 
have  found  a  moderate  degree  of  belief  among  the  weak- 
minded  and  superstitious.  Honest  belief  in  Idolatry  was 
the  exception,  yet  the  exception  was  frequent  enough  to 
deserve  attention.  Let  us  set  aside  the  credulity  of  the 
dishonest,  who  thought  that  by  paying  a  god  sufficiently, 
he  would  aid  them  in  misdeeds,  and  let  us  take  a  case  of 
honest  belief. 

Let  us  suppose  that  a  heathen  had  sacrificed  to  a  hea- 
then divinity  either  because  of  his  own  escape  from  peril, 
or  because  some  member  of  his  family  had  been  restored 
to  health.  If  he  did  it  in  good  faith,  believing  in  aid 
received  from  the  deity,  was  he  committing  a  crime  which 
the  Supreme  Being  would  not  forgive  ? 

Let  us  suppose  that  a  monotheistic  brother  or  relative 
were  invited  by  the  heathen  to  join  in  the  feast  of  thank- 
fulness. Would  such  guest,  by  tasting  ignorantly  or 
knowingly  the  meat  which  had  been  offered  to  an  idol, 
commit  a  crime  the  most  serious  in  the  eye  of  God  ? 

Some  Liberalist  Jews  would,  equally  with  Paul,  have 
taken  ground  that  eating  the  meat  ^^  was  indifferent, 
save  when  it  caused  risk  of  misleading  others  into  what 
they  believed  wrong.  The  mass,  however,  of  Jews  and 
Jewish  Christians  would  have  deemed  it  a  gross  delin- 
quency under  any  circumstances  to  taste  such  meat.  The 
Council  of  Christians  held  at  Jerusalem  expressly  forbade 

i"*  "Do  not  for  the  sake  of  food  undo  the  work  of  God.  All  things 
indeed  are  clean  ;  but  that  which  is  pure  is  evil  for  that  man  who  eateth 
so  as  to  be  an  occasion  of  sin."  —  Rom.  14,  20.  See  also  1  Cor.  8,  8-10, 
quoted  in  Ch.  II.  note  5,  and  Coloss.  2,  u;,  quoted  in  Ch.  II.  note  11. 


§  3.]  CHRIST'S   MISSION   TO   THE   UNDERWORLD,  29 

it.  Even  the  heathen,  who  with  a  good  motive,  or  at 
least  with  nothing  wrong  in  his  purpose,  had  spread  such 
a  feast,  would,  by  many  Jews  and  by  a  large  proportion 
of  Jewish  Christians,  have  been  deemed  guilty  of  an  of- 
fence for  which  he  could  not  deeply  enough  bow  himself 
in  penitence. 

The  Christians,  in  their  conflict  with  heathenism,  came 
to  regard  Idolatry  as  the  chief  of  all  sins." 

Of  this  question,  which  caused  great  trouble  even  in 
Apostolic  times,  —  and  by  which  the  mentally  weak  may 
have  been  perplexed  even  to  agony,  —  nothing  appears  in 
the  Gospels.  The  Teacher  of  teachers  is  not  represented 
as  uttering  one  word  for  the  guidance  of  his  followers. 

§  3.  Christ's  Mission  to  the  Underworld. 

Among  early  Christians  a  belief  prevailed,  which  began 
probably  in  the  first  century,  that  Christ  at  his  death 
entered  on  a  Mission  to  the  Underworld,  Tliis  belief 
permeated  every  branch  of  the  Christian  community,  and 
seems  to  have  taken  deep  hold  in  each  and  every  one  of 
them.^2  It  was  a  favorite  explanation  of  the  object  for 
which  Christ  died.^^  The  vicarious  atonement  does  not 
at  the  present  day  occupy  a  more  prominent  place  in  the 
theology  of  those  denominations  which  attach  most  im- 
portance to  it,  than  did  the  Underworld  Mission  in  the 
theology  of  the  early  Christians. 

The  Gospels  make  no  mention  of  Christ's  Mission  to 
the  Underworld.  Had  the  early  Christians  fabricated 
them  from  their  own  views,  this  omission  would  be  unac- 

11  "The  principal  crime  of  the  human  race,  the  chief  indictment 
against  the  worhl,  the  sole  cause  of  the  judgment,  is  Idolatry."  —  Ter- 
tuUian,  de  Idololat.  l, 

"  Others  say  :  We  more  than  others  practically  recognize  the  Divine 
nature,  recognizing  it  and  [its]  images.  .  .  .  How  do  you  pronounce 
yourself  more  than  others  practical  recognizers  [of  the  Divine  nature,  you] 
who  recognize  it  least  of  all,  meriting  destruction  of  your  souls  by  this 
one  and  unequalled  sin,  if  truly  you  persevere  in  it  ?  "  —  Clementine 
Homilies,  11,  12. 

12  Underworld  Mission,  §§1-24.         i^  Underworld  Mission,  §  6, 


30  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  in. 

countable.  Jesus  is  not  even  made  in  the  Gospels  to  tell 
his  disciples,  after  returning  to  lite,  the  important  work 
which  he  was  supposed  to  have  performed. 

§  4.  Resurrection  of  tlie  Flesh. 

Prior  to  the  Christian  era  a  belief  prevailed  among 
Jews  in  a  future  anustasis,  that  is,  a  resurrection  or  re- 
placement. In  some  cases  a  replacement  of  mankind  alone 
may  have  been  intended,  but  in  others  a  replacement  of 
the  world,  of  mankind,  and  of  the  animal  creation  may- 
have  been  included  in  the  term.  In  this  latter  shape  the 
Stoics  seem  to  have  borrowed  the  view.^* 

Christians  adopted  the  Jewisli  term,  but  differed 
among  themselves  as  to  what  they  should  understand  by 
it.  Some  understood  a  physical  resurrection  of  mankind, 
while  others  held  that  at  death  we  permanently  left  our 
present  physical  bodies.  Between  these  two  divisions  of 
Christians  there  was  sharp  discussion.  The  believers  in 
a  physical  resurrection  regarded  the  opposite  party  as 
heretical.  The  opposite  party  regarded  adherents  of  the 
physical  resurrection  as  weak-minded  or  stupid. 

In  a  former  work  ^^  an  outline  has  been  given  of  the 
two  parties.     Even  in  Apostolic  times  we  find  that  the 


1*  Judaism  at  Rome,  p.  44,  note  12,  and  p.  57,  note  50. 

15  Undcricorld  Mission,  Appendix,  Note  E.  To  the  citations  there 
given  should  be  added  the  following.  Tatian,  after  telling  the  hea- 
thens that  they  held  a  medley  of  conflicting  opinions,  adds :  "  Some 
say  .  .  .  that  the  soul  only  is  rendered  immortal,  but  I,  that  the  flesh 
[is  rendered  immortal]  with  it."  —  Oral.  2".;  0pp.  p.  104  CD,  edit. 
Otto  ;  p.  265  C,  edit.  Maran.  "  Since  the  Lord  .  .  .  arose  bodily  .  .  . 
it  is  manifest  that  his  disciples,  .  .  .  receiving  their  bodies  and  rising 
perfectly,  that  is,  bodily  as  the  Lord  arose,  will  thus  come  into  the  pres- 
ence of  God."  —  Irenaeus,  5,  31,  2. 

Tertullian,  in  a  work  devoted  to  this  question,  argues  (de  Resurrect. 
Carnis,  7,  8)  that  the  body  ministers  to  the  privileges  of  the  soul  and  in 
martyrdom  sufl"ei-s  imprisonment  or  torment,  and  would  not  be  fairly 
treated  unless  gifted  equally  as  the  soul  with  future  reward.  Compare  a 
similar  idea  in  Athenagoras,  de  Resurrect.  18,  p.  264  D  A,  edit.  Otto. 


§  5.]  THE  MILLENNIUM.  31 

discussion  touching  the  resurrection  and  the  future  body 
must  have  been  animated.^^ 

If  we  now  turn  to  the  Gospels,  we  find  nothing  taught 
by  tlie  Master,  nor  any  question  raised,  concerning  man's 
future  body,  or  as  to  whether  lie  should  have  a  body.  An 
argument  of  our  Savior  in  one  passage  implies  that  those 
who  had  passed  away  were  yet  in  existence. ^'^  In  another 
passage  a  future  resurrection  might  seem  to  be  implied,^^ 
l)ut  in  neither  case  is  tliere  an  argument  or  distinct  state- 
ment as  to  the  character  of  the  future  body. 

§  5.  The  Millennium. 

Among  Jews  a  belief  existed  in  a  Millennium,  a  period 
of  one  thousand  years,  during  which  the  good  were  to  live 
on  earth  untroubled  by  the  presence  of  the  bad.^^  Among 
Christians  tliis  belief  reappears  already  in  Apostolic  times,^'' 
and  must  have  been  largely  held  by  Jewish  and  semi- 
Jewish  Christians.'^i    Among  Liberalist  Catholics,  however, 

16  1  Cor.  15,  12-44. 

"  Jesus  quotes  (Matt.  22,  .32  ;  Mark  12,  26,  27 ;  Luke  20,  37,  38) 
from  the  Old  Testament  tlie  words  :  "  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  and 
the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob,"  and  appends  the  remark,  "  God 
is  not  a  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living,"  implying  that  at  the  date 
when  God  uttered  these  words  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  were  alive. 

1^  Jesus  speaks  of  those  who  were  in  their  graves  (John  5,  28,  20)  as 
hereafter  to  hear  his  voice  and  to  come  forth.  The  passage,  though  it 
.affirms  nothing  concerning  a  physical  resurrection,  might  suggest  it  to 
those  who  already  believed  in  it. 

1^  Trypho  the  Jew  is  represented  by  Justin  as  saying  :  "  Tell  me  truly, 
do  you  confess  that  this  place,  Jerusalem,  is  to  be  rebuilt,  and  do  you 
expect  your  People  to  be  assembled  and  rejoice  with  the  Messiah,  together 
with  the  patriarchs  and  prophets  and  those  [either]  of  our  race,  or  who 
became  proselytes  [to  our  views]  before  the  advent  of  your  Clirist  ?  "  — 
Justin  Martyr,  Dial.  80,  0pp.  2,  272  C,  edit.  Otto  ;  p.  177  C,  edit. 
Maran.  The  answer  (see  note  21)  implies  that  the  rejoicing  would  be 
for  a  thousand  years. 

20  Rev.  20,  2  -  7. 

21  Papias  "  said  that  after  the  resurrection  of  the  [just  ?]  dead  there 
would  be  a  special  thousand  years,  the  reign  of  Christ  being  understood 


32  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  Ill, 

we  find  it  so  sharply  ridiculed  as  to  imply  that  its  oppo- 
nents were  anxious  to  avoid  any  appearance  of  holding  it. 
Its  advocates  looked  upon  those  who  rejected  it  as  swerv- 
ing from  the  true  faith. 

On  this  disputed  point  not  a  word  appears  in  the  Gos- 
pels. The  Teacher  gives  his  followers  no  instruction  on 
the  subject. 

§  6.  Restoration  of  Jerusalem. 

From  the  date  when  the  Jewish  Temple  was  destroyed, 
or  surrounded  by  Eoman  armies,  which  threatened  its  de- 
struction, a  belief  gained  currency  among  the  Jews,  that 

as  a  physical  one  upon  this  earth."  —  Eusebius,  iTcc.  Hist.  3,  39;  0pp. 
1,  p.  284,  edit.  Heinich. ;  1, 112  C,  edit.  Vales.  To  this  Eusebius  appends 
the  remark  tliat  Papias  was  a  man  of  exceedingly  little  mind. 

Justin  Martyr  says  :  "  I  and  any  other  Christians  who  think  cor- 
rectly on  all  ])oints,  understand  that  there  is  to  be  a  resurrection  of  the 
flesh  and  a  [residence  of  a]  thousand  years  in  Jerusalem  rebuilt  and 
adorned  and  enlarged,  as  the  projjhets  Ezekiel  [37,  \l  sqq.]  and  Isaiah 
[65,  iT-a-j]  and  the  others  acknowledge."  —  Dial.  80,  0pp.  2,  276  B, 
edit.  Otto  ;  p.  178  B  C,  edit.  Maran. 

"  These  things  [promised  by  Jesus]  are  [to  be  received]  in  the  times  of 
the  kingdom,  that  is,  in  the  seventh  day  .  .  .  which  is  the  true  sabbath 
of  the  just.  .  .  all  animals  —  using  the  kinds  of  food  which  are  derived 
from  the  earth — will  be  made  pacific  and  mutually  harmonious."  — Ire- 
neeus,  coni.  Ilccrcs.  5,  33,  2-3. 

"God  made  the  work  of  his  hands  in  six  days  and  finished  on  the 
seventh  day  and  rested  on  it.  .  .  .  This  means  that  God  will  finish  all 
things  in  six  thousand  year.s,  for  a  day  with  him  is  as  one  thousand  years. 
.  .  .  He  rested  on  the  seventh  day.  This  means,  when  his  son,  coming, 
shall  do  away  the  time  of  the  LAW-less  One  and  shall  condemn  unbeliev- 
ers, and  shall  change  the  sun  and  moon  and  stars,  then  he  shall  rest 
gloriously  on  the  seventh  day."  —  Barnabas,  Epist.  M  ;  (rrl.  13,  .3-6.) 

"Papias  .  .  .  is  said  to  have  enunciated  the  Jewi.sh  Millennium  —  a 
duplicate  of  it ;  whom  Irenreus  and  A])ollinarius  and  others  followed,  say- 
ing tliat  after  the  resurrection  the  Lord  will  reign  bodily  with  his  saints. 
Tertullian  also,  in  a  book  Oti  Urn  Hope  of  the  Faithful,  and  Victorinus  of 
Pettawand  Lactantius  followed  this  view." — Jerome,  c^e  Viris  Illust.  18, 
Opp.  2,  col.  859,  860. 


§  7.]  ROME'S   DESTRUCTION.  33 

Jerusalem  would  be  rebuilt  and  enlarged  by  Divine 
power.^^  The  belief  must  have  appeared  equally  early 
among  Jewish  Christians,  who  regarded  it  as  the  locality 
where  their  Master  was  to  reign. ^^  It  was  held  by  semi- 
Jewish  Christians  in  the  second  century.^*  Even  Liber- 
alist  Catholics  retained  Jewish  phraseology  whilst  essen- 
tially modifying  Jewish  views.^^ 

Of  these  expectations  nothing  whatever  appears  in  the 
Gospels,  although  these  Gospels  were  obviously  written 
by  persons  of  Jewish  education. 

§  7.  Homers  Destruction. 

Sixty-three  years  before  the  Christian  era,  a  Eoman 
general  had  shocked  Jewish  feeling  by  entering  the  Holy 
of  Holies,  and  had  wounded  Jewish  pride  by  conquering 
their  nation.  From  that  time  we  hnd  a  belief  among 
Jews,  that  God  had  doomed  Eome  to  destruction,  and 
that  this  destruction  would  be  the  precursor  of  the  new 
or  Messianic  era.^^ 

Christians  adopted  this  belief  in  apostolic  tiraes,^'^  and 
it  retained  its  hold  on  the  Jewish  and  semi-Jewish  por- 
tions of  them  for  centuries.^^ 

No  word  concerning  this  belief  appears  in  the  Gospels. 

^  Sympathy  with  Jewish  feeling  and  opinion  is  the  only  source  whence 
Christians  can  have  obtained  this  view.  Irenaeus  quotes  (5,  35,  l,  2) 
various  passages  from  the  Old  Testament  in  support  of  it,  using,  among 
others,  a  passage  of  Baruch  (4, 30,  37)  in  which  is  the  statement,  "  Arise, 
Jerusalem,  and  stand  on  high  .  .  .  and  see  thy  children  collected  from 
the  rising  of  the  sun  even  to  his  setting."  —  The  extant  Latin  differs 
slightly  from  the  Septuagint. 

23  Rev.  21,  !)-22,  r,. 

2*  See  note  21,  and  compare  Judaism,  pp.  256,  268. 

^  According  to  Origen,  the  holy  city  (Matt.  27,  53)  into  which  the 
saints  entered  was  the  "  Heavenly  Jerusalem,"  the  "  tiiuly  holy  city, 
the  Jerusalem  over  which  Jesus  had  not  wept."  —  Origen,  Comment,  in 
Matt.  Lib.  12,  43,  0pp.  edit,  de  la  Rue,  3,  566  A  ;  edit.  Lommatzsch,  3, 
203. 

^  See  Judaism  at  Rome,  pp.  116-134. 

""  Judaism,  pp.  265-268.  28  Judnism,  pp.  135,  136. 


34  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF  HISTORY.  [cH.  lU. 

§  8.  Beliar,  or  Antichrist. 

As  early  as  A.  D.  52,  in  which  year  the  Jews  were 
expelled  from  Eome,  or  else  in  the  succeeding  year,  we 
find,  both  among  them  and  Christians,  a  belief  that  the 
Eoman  emperor,  as  chief  opponent  of  the  religion  which 
God  had  introduced,  would  be  overthrown,  and  that  his 
destruction  would  introduce  the  new  era.  In  Jewish 
documents  2^  he  is  called  Beliar.  In  a  Christian  document 
he  is  termed  the  Lawless  One,^  that  is,  the  Heathen. 

In  the  year  52  or  53  an  effort  must  have  been  made 
by  some  of  the  aristocracy  to  place  the  statue  of  Clau- 
dius in  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem.^^  The  expulsion  of  the 
Jews  and  the  current  of  anti-Jewish  feeling  may  have 
prompted  some  of  them  to  suppose  that  it  would  be  a 
happy  political  stroke.  The  effort  seems  to  have  been 
made  from  Samaria,  where  its  designers  may  have  secured 
co-operation  from  some  of  the  less  religious  Samaritans.^ 


29  Judaism,  pp.  138-140,  2.39  n. 

8"  Judaism,  pp.  235,  236.  Irenaeua  mentions  "the  resurrection  of 
the  Just  .  .  .  which  takes  place  after  the  advent  of  Antichrist. "  — 
Cont.  Hceres.  5,  35,  1. 

^^  Tacitus  tells  us  indirectly  {An.  12,  .'54)  that  the  Jews  were  expect- 
ing Claudius  to  attempt  putting  his  statue  in  the  Temple.  Josephus 
mentions  {JFars,  2,  12,  l)  a  difficulty  at  the  Temple  in  which,  according 
to  his  —  no  doubt  exaggerated  —  account,  ten  thousand  Jews  were  killed  ; 
and  attributes  the  commotion,  as  also  some  subsequent  ones,  to  causes  so 
trifling  as  to  imply  that  for  some  reason  he  has  avoided  telling  the  truth. 
We  find,  moreover,  in  the  same  writer  {Wars,  2,  12,  7)  that  the  younger 
King  Agrippa,  who  visited  Rome  perhaps  with  special  reference  to  this 
difficulty,  confronted  there  the  Roman  governor  and  the  Samaritans  ; 
and  in  the  wnitings  of  Paul  (see  Judaism,  p.  236  n)  we  find  a  passage 
scarcely  explicable,  unless  some  effort  had  been  made  which  was  parried 
by  Agrippa.  Josephus  would  willingly  pervert  the  truth  if  it  suited  his 
interest,  which  at  Rome  may  have  been  the  case. 

*2  Justin  Martyr  mentions  {Apol.  1,  26,  m)  that  in  the  time  of  Clau- 
dius a  statue  had  been  vojed  to  a  Samaritan  named  Simon,  whom  Justin 
identifies  with  Simon  Magus.  A  statue  to  a  Sabine  deity,  which  has 
been  dug  up  on  an  island  in  the  Tiber,  may  have  misled  Justin,  who  was 


g  9.]  NERO'S   RETURN.  35 

Whether  the  Eoman  emperor,  at  a  yet  earlier  date,  had 
been  regarded  as  the  aspiring  opponent  whom  God  was 
to  crush,  may  admit  question.  Between  A.  D.  41,  when 
Caligula  was  murdered,  and  A.  D.  52  or  53,  whose  occur- 
rences we  have  just  narrated,  the  J.ewish  aristocracy  had 
been  inventing  falsehoods  against  Caligula.^  Whether 
the  charge  against  him,  of  intending  to  put  his  statue  in 
the  Temple,  liad  any  existence  before  A.  D.  52  or  53,  is  a 
matter  of  inference.  The  Jewish  aristocracy,  who  in  ex- 
culpation of  their  own  crimes  had  been  maligning  him, 
may  not  have  invented  this  particular  charge  until  the 
action  of  their  political  associates,  the  Eoman  aristocracy, 
had  rendered  it  necessary. 

Of  Beliar,  or  Antichrist,  or  of  any  questions  connected 
with  such  a  being,  not  a  trace  appears  in  the  Gospels. 


§  9.  Nerds  Beturn. 

Blended  with  the  preceding  head,  was  the  belief  held 
by  many  Jews  and  Christians,  subsequently  to  Nero's 
death,  in  A.  D.  68,  that  Nero  would  return  as  Beliar,  or 
Antichrist. 

Among  heathens  the  belief  that  he  would  return  had 
nothing  supernatural  connected  with  it,  being  based  on 
the  supposition  that  he  was  not  dead.  In  the  course  of 
a  lifetime  it  died  out. 

Among  Jews  and  Christians  an  anticipation  existed 
that  he  was  to  come  back  from  the  Underworld,  or  from 
some  locality  outside  of  this  life,  and  that  his  return  was 
to  precede  the  new  era.^  Of  this  belief  not  a  word  ap- 
pears in  the  Gospels. 

not  critically  gifted,  and  who  may  have  known  only  at  second-hand  con- 
cerning the  statue  there.  That  any  co-operation  with  the  patricians 
should  have  been  rewarded  by  them  with  a  statue,  or  at  least  with  the 
voted  promise  of  one,  is  natural  enough.  The  death  of  Claudius  may 
have  prevented  its  erection.     Compare  preceding  note. 

^  See  Judaism  at  Rome,  pp.  137-  140. 

^  See  Judaism  at  Rome,  Appendix,  Note  F. 


36  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  III. 

§  10.  Conjlagration  of  the  World. 

A  belief  which  originated  among  Jews,  and  had  been 
adopted  by  Stoics,  before  the  Christian  era,  was  that  the 
world  would  undergo  a  renovation  by  fire,  from  which  it 
would  emerge  in  pristine  excellence  and  beauty.^ 

Christians  adopted,  even  in  Apostolic  times,  the  belief 
in  such  a  conflagration.^''  In  the  second  and  subsequent 
centuries  ^^  it  prevailed  to  no  small  extent. 

No  allusion  appears  in  the  Gospels  to  this  expectation, 
one  of  the  most  vivid  which  prevailed  among  Christians. 

§  11.  God  Devoid  of  Name. 

In  the  controversy  between  Christians  and  heathens  no 
little  stress  was  laid  by  the  former  on  an  assertion  that 
the  Supreme  and  Uncreated  God  must  necessarily  be  de- 
void of  name.^^  In  heathen  lands,  where  the  Gentile  gods 
had  names,  this  view  of  the  Christians  originated  natu- 
rally and  acquired  prominence. 

^  See  Jzidaism,  pp.  44,  45,  55  -  57. 

^  "The  heavens  and  the  earth,  which  are  now,  by  the  same  word  arc 
kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire  against  the  day  of  judgment  and  jierdition 
of  ungodly  men.  .  .  .  The  heavens  being  on  fire  shall  be  dissolved,  and  the 
elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat.  Nevertheless,  we,  according  to 
his  promise,  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth 
righteousness."  — 2  Pet.  3,  7,  12,  13.     Compare  Judaism,  pp.  485,  486. 

8^  "  Sibylla  and  Hystaspes  say  that  there  will  be  a  dissolution  of  corrupt- 
ible things  by  fire."  —  Justin  Martyr,  Apol.  1,  20.  "The  prophetic 
spirit  fore-indicated  through  Moses,  that  there  will  be  a  conflagration."  — 
Apol.  1,  GO.  "  We  affirm  that  the  conflagration  will  take  place  thus."  — 
^pol.  2,  7.  "The  wicked  demons  strive  to  persuade  you  that  there  will 
be  no  conflagration  for  the  punishment  of  heathens."  —  ^pol.  1,  ^1.  Com- 
pare a  conjectural  emendation  of  editors,  ^pol.  1,  ■(.')  ;  in  Otto's  edit,  p, 
228,  note  3.  "Some  one  [among  Stoics?  or  heathens?]  will  say  .  .  . 
that  the  conflagration  will  take  place  at  stated  times,  but  I  [that  it  will 
take  place]  only  once."  —  Tatian,  Orat.  '2."> ;  0pp.  p.  104  C,  edit.  Otto; 
p.  265  B,  edit.  Maran.     See  also  Judaism  at  Home,  p.  45,  note  15. 

38  See  Underworld  Mission,  p.  152  n,  3d  edit.  p.  146  n,  and  compare  in 
the  present  work  a  citation  from  Eusebius  in  Ch.  VIII.  note  4. 


§  12.]  OLD   TESTAMENT   PREDICTIONS.  37 

No  allusion  to  it  appears  in  the  Gospels.  The  term 
God  apjiears  in  them  as  having  a  well-settled  meaning, 
which  permitted  no  questions  concerning  it. 

§  12.  Old  Testament  Predictions. 

In  Apostolic  times  we  find  quotations  made  from  the 
Old  Testament,  and  arguments  based  upon  these  quota- 
tions, in  proof  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ.^^ 

In  the  second  century,  after  the  Jewish  rebellion  under 
Hadrian,  Christians,  or  at  least  a  large  portion  of  them, 
had  a  mania  for  arguments  of  this  class.^"  Passages  from 
the  Old  Testament,  which  often  needed  laborious  and 
improbable  explanations,  as  a  means  of  forcing  them  to 
predict  circumstances  in  the  life  of  Jesus,  were  quoted  at 
length  and  treated  as  conclusively  plain.  The  Jews  were 
treated  as  wilfully  blind  and  obstinate  in  their  refusal  to 
accept  these  interpretations.  The  professed  discussions 
with,  or  arguments  against,  them  were  probably  intended 
for  circulation  among  Gentiles,  and  passages  therein 
quoted  as  arguments  were  urged  on  Gentiles,  as  if  they 
admitted  no  other  explanation. 

The  inability  of  Christians  to  use  their  own  records  in 
behalf  of  their  assertions  predisposed  them  to  stretch 
other  arguments  to  their  utmost.  The  author  of  the  Co- 
hortatio  ad  Graecos  calls  attention  to  the  preservation  of 
these  Old  Testament  predictions  by  the  Jews,  as  a  work 
of  Providence,  since  the  Christians,  by  quoting  from  writ- 
ings preserved  in  the  synagogues  of  their  enemies,  would 
be  free  from  suspicion  of  having  tampered  with  them>^ 

The  stress  laid  on  prophecy  may  be  inferred  from  an 
objection  to  the  heathen  deities,  made  by  Commodianus, 
that  they  had  not  been  predicted.*^     He  meant,  probably, 

89  Acts  2,  25-3';  ;  13,  *2-37  ;  18,  iS. 

*"  Judaism  at  Rome,  pji.  344-346. 

*i  Ch.  i;5,  Justin,  0pp.  p.  48  E. 

*2  "No  one  prophesied  beforehand  that  he  (Saturn)  would  be  born."  — 
Commodianus,  Instruct.  6,  line  13.  "You  pray  to  so  many  gods  .  .  , 
nor  were  they  themselves  predicted."  —  Instruct.  8, 11.  8,  9. 


38  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  ni. 

that  beings  who  came  into  existence  without  having  been 
foretold  had  nothing  divine  about  tliem. 

In  the  Gospels  there  is  no  quotation  from  the  Old 
Testament  extant,  on  which  Jesus  is  represented  as  bas- 
ing an  argument  for  his  Divine  mission.  Two  passages  ^^ 
might  raise  the  question  whether  he  believed  tlie  Old 
Testament  to  contain  such  predictions,  but  no  quotation 
of  them,  with  an  argument  from  them  by  Jesus,  is  to  be 
found  in  the  Gospels.^*  This  certainly  would  not  have 
been  the  fact,  if  Christians  of  the  second  century,  or  even 
of  Apostolic  times,  had  fabricated  or  interpolated  them 
with  reference  to  their  own  conceptions  of  truth. 

§  13.  Jesus  as  Deity  of  the  Old  Testament. 

A  little  after  A.  D.  150*^  the  opinion  was  broached 
among  Christians  that  Jesus  was  the  God  who  had  spoken 
to   the   Patriarchs,  had  shut  the  door  of  the  Ark  after 

**  One  of  these  passages  (JohnS,  39,  4fi,  47),  though  frequently  under- 
stood as  an  appeal  to  predictions,  favors  by  its  connection  the  suppo- 
sition that  Jesus  had  in  view  the  moral  and  religious  instructions  of 
Moses,  written  with  reference  to  himself,  that  is  (see  Judairm,  p.  394), 
to  prepare  the  way  for  his  mission.  The  impediment  specified  by  Jesus 
as  preventing  belief  on  him  is  not  an  inability  to  decipher  predictions, 
but  that,  "  you  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you.  ...  How  can  you 
believe  who  accept  honor  from  each  other  and  seek  not  that  honor  which 
is  from  the  Only  God  ?  .  .  ,  Had  you  believed  Moses  you  would  have 
believed  me,  for  it  was  with  reference  to  me  that  he  wrote." 

The  other  passage  (Luke  24,  '25-27)  admits  either  supi)osition,  that 
Jesus  referred  to  predictions  or  to  moral  instructions,  yet  the  latter  is 
favored  by  a  subsecpient  remark  of  the  disciples  (24,32):  "Did  not 
our  hearts  burn  within  us  ...  as  he  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures  ? "  An 
explanation  of  predictions  would  have  exercised  the  mind  rather  than 
warmed  the  heart. 

**  Jesus  appeals  (John  5,  32  -  34)  to  the  testimony  of  John,  though 
alleging  that  it  ought  to  be  needless  ;  he  a])peals  (John  5,  36)  to  his 
miracles  and  (John  7,  17)  to  the  character  of  his  teaching,  but  in  no 
instance  does  the  record  contain  an  explanation  by  him  of  the  manner  in 
which  an  Old  Testament  prediction  is  applicable  to  himself. 

*s  See  Appendix,  Note  M. 


§  14.]       PERSONAL  APPEAEANCE  OF  JESUS.         39 

Noah,  and  whose  presence  was  in  various  ways  recorded 
in  the  Old  Testament.  This  view  had  in  the  third 
century  gained  considerable  foothold,  but  it  is  difficult 
to  say  whether  within  a  quarter  of  a  century  after  its 
origin  it  found  adherents  enough  to  create  any  strong 
probabihty  of  its  ingress  into  the  Gospels,  if  at  that  date 
they  had  been  in  process  of  formation.  The  probability 
will  seem  stronger  or  weaker,  according  to  the  hold  on 
the  minds  of  Christians  which  the  reader  supposes  the 
above  view  to  have  taken. 

The  view  of  course  does  not  exist  in  the  Gospels. 

§  14.  Personal  Appearance  of  Jesus. 

In  the  latter  half  of  the  second  century,  and  the  first 
half  of  the  third,  a  mania,  as  already  said  (see  §  12), 
existed  among  many  Christians  for  misapplying  to  their 
Master  passages  from  the  Old  Testament,  which  they  had 
deluded  themselves  into  regarding  as  predictions.^  They 
treated  the  words  of  Isaiah,  "  He  had  no  form,  nor  come- 
liness, that  we  should  look  upon  him,  nor  beauty,  that  we 
should  take  pleasure  in  him,"  *"  as  spoken  of  Jesus,  and 
put  into  their  Master's  mouth  the  twenty-second  Psalm, 
of  which  verse  6  reads, "  I  am  a  worm,  and  not  a  man ; 
the  reproach  of  men,  and  the  scorn  of  the  people."  ^^ 

Justin  repeatedly  mentions  "  the  first  coming  of  Christ, 

**  See  Judaism,  pp.  344  -  346,  with  the  explanation  there  given  as  to 
what  strengthened  this  mania. 

*^  Ch.  53,  2,  Noyes'  trans. 

**  Justin,  though  treating  the  Psalm  (Dial.  98-106)  as  spoken  by  Christ, 
interprets  verse  7  {Dial.  lOl)  as  indicating  merely  Jewish  contempt  for 
Jesus.  Origen,  though  understanding  the  passage  as  spoken  by  Jesus, 
and  giving  two  widely  divergent  interpretations  of  the  verse  (Li  Exod. 
Horn.  7,  8,  0pp.  2,  p.  156  A  ;  In  Lucam,  Horn.  14,  0pp.  3,  p.  948  F), 
does  not  in  either  of  them  apply  it  to  the  personal  appearance  of  Jesus. 
TertuUian,  however  {adv.  Judceos,  14,  p.  228  B),  quotes  it  separately  from 
the  rest  of  the  Psalm,  and  in  a  connection  which  indicates  that  he  so 
applied  it.  Probably  Justin  and  Origen  shrank  from  an  interpretation 
which  their  heathen  opponents  were  over-willing  to  see  and  use  even 
without  Christian  aid. 


40  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  HI. 

in  which  it  was  foretold  that  he  should  appear  without 
honor,  and  unsightly  and  mortal."  *^ 

The  Pseudo-Thaddeus  is  represented  as  telling  Abgarus, 
"  To-morrow  gather  together  all  the  citizens,  and  then  in 
their  hearing  I  will  .  .  .  inform  them  of  the  coming  of 
Christ,  .  .  .  and  about  the  meanness  and  despicableness 
of  his  outward  appearance."  ^'^ 

A  passage  in  the  Sibylline  Oracles  says  of  Christ :  "  Not 
in  glory,  but  as  a  mortal  [on  the  way]  to  his  trial  he  will 
come,  pitiable,  dishonored,  devoid  of  form,  that  he  may 
give  hope  to  the  miserable."  ^^ 

Whether  Irenasus  meant  to  affirm  the  same  unsightli- 
ness,  may  be  a  question.     His  language  favors  it.^^ 

Statements  and  quotations  such  as  the  foregoing  were 
admirably  adapted  to  furnish  material  for  heathen  hu- 
morists and  controversialists  who  wished  to  caricature  the 
Founder  of  Christianity.  Nor  were  they  slow  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  offered  material.  Celsus  says :  "  Since 
the  Divine  spirit  was  in  the  body  [of  Jesus],  it  ought 
entirely  to  surpass  those  of  others  in  size,  or  beauty,  or 
strength,  or. voice,  or  majesty,  or  persuasiveness,  for  it  is 
impo.ssible  that  he,  in  whom  the  divinity  is  present  more 
than  in  others,  should  in  no  wise  differ  from  another ;  but 
this  [body]  differed  nothing  from  another,  but,  as  they 
say,  was  small  and  unsightly  and  ignoble."  ^^ 

Origen   replies   that   Celsus   ignores  opposite   delinea- 

**  Dial.  14.  Compare  similar  statements  in  cc.  4n,  8.5,  100,  110 ;  pp.  52  D, 
158  B,  288  A,  336  E,  364  E.  Justin  evidently  lays  emphasis  on  these 
statements. 

6"  See  fuller  quotation  in  Appendix,  Note  F. 

^1  Book  8,  ^.jfi,  257,  quoted  more  fully  in  Appendix,  Note  J. 

^2  "They  who  say  ...  '  JTe  vill  take  on  himself  our  infirmities,  and 
will  hear  our  weaknesses '  [Is.  53,  4] ,  announced  the  cures  which  were 
performed  by  him.  Some  also  predicted  that  '  he  would  come  to  Jerusa- 
lem as  a  man  infirm  and  inglorious,  and  knowing  how  to  bear  infirm- 
ity' [Is.  53,  3]  and  sitting  on  the  foal  of  an  ass." — Ireuseus,  cont.  Hoercs. 
4,  33,  11-12. 

^  Celsus  quoted  by  Origen,  cont.  Ce.ls.  6,  75  (requoted  6,  77)  ;  0pp. 
edit,  de  la  Rue,  1,  pp.  688,  689  ;  edit.  Lommatzsch,  19,  p.  425. 


§  14.]      PERSONAL  APPEARANCE  OF  JESUS.         41 

tions  of  Jesus  in  the  Scriptures.  He  says :  "  Confessedly 
there  is  written  the  things  [said]  concerning  the  body  of 
Jesus  having  been  unsightly ;  but  not  as  set  forth,  that  it 
was  ignoble,  nor  is  it  clearly  manifested  that  it  was  small."  ^ 
He  then  quotes,  as  equally  apposite  to  Jesus,  the  words  of 
Psalm  45,  3,  "Gird  thy  sword  upon  thy  thigh,  mighty 
in  thy  stateliness  and  beauty,"  ^^  and  asks,  "  How  does 
(Celsus)  not  see  the  superiority  of  the  body  of  Jesus  (and 
its  consequent  usefulness)  in  its  ability  to  appear  to  be- 
holders as  it  ought  to  be  seen  by  each  one  ? "  ^^ 

Origen  had  already  mentioned  that  Jesus  had  not 
merely  the  unsightly  body,  but  also  the  glorified  one,  in 
which  he  appeared  with  Moses  and  Elijah  ;^'  yet  it  is  evi- 
dent that  besides  these  two  forms  of  unsightliness  and 
glory,  he  assumed  a  changeability  in  the  personal  appear- 
ance of  Jesus.  In  at  least  one  other  instance  be  utters 
the  same  view.^^  Whether  this  were  a  conviction,  or  a 
temporary  mental  expedient  for  meeting  an  opponent's 


5*  Cont.  Cds.  6,  75  ;  edit,  de  la  Rue,  1,  689  B ;  edit.  Lommatzsch,  19, 
426. 

65  Cont.  Cds.  6,  75;  edit,  de  la  Rue,  1,  pp.  689-690  ;  edit.  Lommatzsch, 
19,  427. 

^  Cont.  Cds.  6,  77  ;  edit,  de  la  Rue,  1,  p.  690  D  ;  edit.  Lommatzsch, 
19,  429. 

"  Cont.  Cds.  6,  76. 

^  Tlie  following  translation  is  from  Norton's  Genuineness,  Vol.  3, 
p.  174,  and  is,  he  says,  "considerably  abridged"  from  the  original. 
"  'A  tradition  has  come  down  to  us,  that  Jesus  had  not  only  two  forms, 
that  in  which  he  was  seen  by  all,  and  that  in  which  he  was  seen  by  his 
disciples  at  his  transfiguration  ;  but  that  he  appeared  to  every  one  in 
the  form  of  which  he  was  worthy  ;  and  that  (at  times)  when  present,  he 
appeared  to  all  like  another  person.  Thus  he  resembled  the  manna, 
which  had  a  different  taste  for  different  individuals,  accommodated  to 
every  man's  liking.  And  this  tradition  does  not  seem  to  me  incredible. 
But  if  it  were  so,  we  may  explain  why  the  multitude  which  accom- 
panied Judas,  though  they  had  often  seen  Jesus,  nevertheless  needed 
some  one  familiar  with  him  to  point  him  out  to  them,  on  account  of  the 
changes  of  his  form.'"  —  Origen,  Scries  Comment,  in  Matt.  §  100  ;  0pp. 
3,  p.  906,  edit,  de  la  Rue  ;  Vol.  4,  ]>.  440,  edit.  Lommatzsch. 


42  INDIKECT  TESTIMONY   OF  HISTORY.  [CH.  IV. 

argument,  is  not  obvious,  though  the  latter  is  the  more 
probable. 

Possibly  some  Christians  may,  even  during  the  mania 
above  mentioned,  have  revolted  at  the  thought  of  attrib- 
uting to  their  Master,  without  historical  evidence,  an 
unsightly  appearance.  Clement  of  Alexandria,  by  his 
general  tone  of  reference  to  Jesus,  renders  improbable 
that  he  can  have  shared  the  disposition  to  treat  him  as 
personally  repulsive.  A  forged  letter  in  the  name  of 
Lentulus,^^  an  assumed  heathen,  has  come  down  to  us, 
which  must  have  been  an  efibrt  by  some  Christian  to 
counteract  the  foregoing  folly.  It  ascribes  to  Jesus  per- 
sonal stateliness  and  beauty.  This  —  though  the  miracles 
receive  a  passing  mention  —  is  the  chief  object  of  the 
letter,  and  places  it  in  marked  contrast  to  other  pseudo- 
heathen  or  pseudo-Jewish  records  of  Jesus,  which  testify 
mainly  to  his  ministry  and  miracles. 

Concerning  the  personal  appearance  of  Jesus  not  a 
word  appears  in  the  Gospels ;  neither  unsightliness  nor 
beauty  is  attributed  to  him. 


CHAPTEK    IV. 

CHRISTIAN   CUSTOMS. 


In  some  respects  customs  are  more  likely  than  mere 
opinions  to  cause  collision  or  friction  between  those  who 
observe  different  ones.  In  so  far  as  we  can  feel  assured 
of  this  having  been  the  case  touching  Christian  usages, 
they  afford  a  strong  and  independent  argument  for  integ- 
rity of  the  Gospels. 

§  1.   Concerning  the  Sahhath. 

Jewish  Christians  continued  in  most  cases,  equally  with 
non-Christian  Jews,  to  rest  from  labor  on  the  seventh  day. 


See  tlie  letter  in  Apppiidix,  Note  D. 


§  1.]  CONCERNING  THE  SABBATH.  43 

and  to  assemble  on  it  for  religious  services.  Gentile 
Christians  found  difficulties  in  the  way  of  observing  any- 
day  of  rest,  especially  in  times  of  political  excitement. 
In  such  times  a  man  of  standing  would  have  risked  pros- 
ecution for  observance  of  Foreign  Eites,  had  he  kept  the 
seventh  day  as  one  of  rest,  while  many  slaves  and  many 
free  laborers  would  not  have  been  allowed  control  of  their 
time. 

We  find  in  the  Apostolic  Age  that  Paul  treats  the 
sabbath  as  not  binding  on  Gentile  Christians,^  and  his 
tone  indicates  that  there  was  no  little  feeling  on  the  sub- 
ject. He  urges  that  those  who  deemed  one  day  more 
holy  than  another,  and  that  those  who  deemed  all  days 
alike,  should  not  interfere  with  or  condemn  each  other. 
His  own  views  are  plainly  expressed  that  the  Gentile 
Christians  should  not  keep  the  sabbath. 

In  the  second  century,  after  the  imbittered  war  between 
Jews  and  heathens  under  Hadrian,  we  find  intense  feel- 
ing in  discussions  concerning  the  sabbath.  A  portion  of 
the  Christians  treat  the  Jews  as  utterly  foolish  for  ob- 
serving any  day  of  rest,  and  speak  of  the  sabbath  as  a 
temporary  institution,  imposed  upon  the  Jews  because  of 
their  hard-heartedness.^ 


1  See  Ch.  IL  note  11. 

2  Portions  of  this  discussion  from  Paul  (Galat.  4,  9,  10  ;  Coloss.  2,  IB, 
17),  Justin  Martyr,  Irenajus,  and  tlie  Epistle  to  Diognetus  have  already 
been  given  in  Ch.  IL  note  11  ;  see  also  Rom.  14,  5,  quoted  in  Ch.  IL 
note  6. 

Irenaeus,  equally  with  some  other  writers,  takes  ground  that  the  sab- 
bath was  a  temporary  institution  for  the  Jews,  intended  as  a  sign,  or 
reminder,  of  an  agreement  between  them  and  God.  He  argues  :  "  The 
prophet  Ezekiel  [20,  12]  says  the  same  concerning  sabbaths  :  '  I  have 
given  them  my  sabbaths  that  they  may  be  for  a  sign  between  me  and 
them,' .  .  .  and  in  Exodus  [31,  l(i,  17]  God  says  to  Moses,  'and  you  shall 
observe  my  sabbaths,  for  it  will  be  a  sign  to  you  with  me,  as  regards 
your  race. '  These  things,  therefore  [circumcision  and  the  sabbath],  were 
given  for  a  sign."  —  Irenaeus,  4,  16,  l. 

Tertullian  says  :  "  Finally,  whoever  contends  that  the  sabbath  is 
to  be  observed  until  the  present  time  as  a  means  of  salvation  ...  let 


44  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF   IIISTOKY.  [cH.  IV. 

Of  this  discussion  and  of  the  acrimonious  feeling  occa- 
sioned by  it  not  a  word  appears  in  the  Gospels.  The 
sabbath  is  there  recognized  (Mark  2,  27)  as  made  for  man, 
not  man  for  the  sabbath.  Nowhere  do  we  find  a  word 
implying  that  it  had  come  to  an  end. 

§  2.  Sunday  as  a  Day  of  Religious  Gatherings. 

Concerning  the  origin  of  Sunday  service,  no  historical 
statement  has  been  left  us.  Circumstances  render  prob- 
able tliat  it  originated  towards  the  close  of  A.  D.  52  or  in 
A.  D.  53.  At  that  date  a  political  condition  of  things 
rendered  it  dangerous  for  Gentiles  to  observe  even  in  a 
limited  degree  the  Jewish  sabbath.^  Paul,  on  separating 
from  the  Jewish  synagogue  at  Corinth,  seems  to  have 
conmienced  holding  services  on  the  first  day  of  the  week.'* 

In  the  second  century  Sunday  was  regarded  as  a  day 
of  religious  joy.  Christians  on  that  day  were  not  allowed 
either  to  fast  or  kneel,  and,  when  called  to  pray,  were 
told,  "  Stand  perfectly  straight."  ^ 

The  custom  of  meeting  on  Sunday  for  religious  service 

him  teach  that  the  .TusT  Men  of  former  time  [that  is,  those  before  Abra- 
ham or  Moses]  kept  sabbaths  .  .  .  and  were  tlius  rendered  friends  of 
God.  .  .  .  He  (God)  commended  his  (Adam's)  offspring,  Abel,  when 
offering  sacrifices  to  liimself,  though  .  .  .  keeping  no  sabbath."  —  ^(Zr. 
Jitdcenx,  2. 

"Those  who  were  conversant  with  the  old  order  of  things  have  come 
to  a  new  hope,  no  longer  sabbatizing  but  living  a  life  agreeably  to  the 
Lord's  Day."  —  Ignatius,  Magnes.  9  ;  al.  3,  .3.  See  citation  from  the 
epistle  ascribed  to  Barnabas  in  Ch.  III.  note  21. 

8  See  Judaism,  pp.  228  -  229. 

4  See  Judaism,  pp.  234,  239,  240.  On  the  different  terms  "  First 
Day,"  "  Eighth  Day,"  "  Lord's  Day,"  and  "  Sunday,"  see  Judaism,  pp. 
68  -  70. 

8  See  Underworld  Missinv,  pp.  80,  81  ;  3d  edit.  pp.  77,  78.  The 
term  sabbath  as  a  designation  for  Sunday  had  no  existence  for  centuries 
after  the  Christian  era.  Christians  of  the  second  and  of  several  succeed- 
ing centuries  would  h.ive  spurned  any  one  as  recreant  to  the  Master  wlio 
had  dared  to  treat  the  day  of  that  Master's  victory  over  Death  and  the 
Underwoild  as  the  Jewish  sabbath. 


§  2.]    SUNDAY  AS   A  DAY   OF  RELIGIOUS   GATHERINGS.       45 

led  gradually  to  abstinence  from  any  occupations  which 
might  distract  attention  from,  or  mar  the  effect  of,  these 
services.  This  doubtless  was  the  chief  reason  for  re- 
nouncing ordinary  business,  although  Tertullian,  the  ear- 
liest w'riter  who  mentions  such  Sunday  rest,  attributes  it 
to  a  different  cause.^ 

Eastern  Christians,  though  equally  attentive  as  AVestern 
ones  to  an  erect  position  on  Sunday,  differed  from  them 
by  showing  a  similar  respect  for  the  seventh  day  or  sab- 
bath," a  respect  which  sometimes  awakened  ire  in  their 
western  and  more  anti-Jewish  bi'ethren.^ 


^  Tertullian  says  :  ' '  On  the  day  of  tlie  Lord's  resurrection  we  ought 
not  only  to  abstain  from  it  [kneeling]  but  from  every  anxiety  .  .  .  de- 
ferring even  business,  lest  we  should  afford  opportunity  to  the  Devil  [of 
rendering  us  anxious]."  —  De  Oral.  18.  An  anxious  or  clouded  face 
would  have  been  deemed  derogatory  to  the  Master's  triumphal  day.  The 
Christians  individually,  and  in  legislative  enactments,  designated  Sun- 
day as  a  festival,  and  subsequently  needed  perhaps  on  this  account  to 
guard  the  more  against  its  devotion  to  public  amusements.  An  extract 
or  two  are  here  added.  Others  can  be  found  in  Eheinwald's  Archaeology, 
§  61.  In  A.  D.  321  an  edict  of  Constantine  {Cod.  Justin.  3,  12,  dc 
fcriis,  3),  after  forbidding  lawsuits  and  mechanical  arts  on  Sunday,  per- 
mits harvesting.  Somewhat  later  another  edict  {Cod.  Thcod.  2,  s,  de 
feriis,  l)  determines  "all  should  have  libeity  of  emancipating  on  [our] 
FESTAL  day."  The  connection  implies  that  Sunday  is  the  day  meant. 
The  edicts  will  be  found  in  the  Corpus  Juris  Civilis,  Vol.  2,  col. 
250. 

Those  who  favored  resting  on  Sunday  are  careful  to  guard  against  any 
supposition  that  it  is  the  sabbath.  The  Council  of  Laodicea  says 
(c.  29)  "that  it  is  not  proper  for  any  Christians  ...  to  avoid  Mork  on 
THE  SABBATH,  but  ...  to  show  higher  honor  to  the  Lord's  Day  if  they 
can  avoid  work." 

■^  The  observance  of  both  days  is  advocated  in  the  Apostolic  Con- 
stitutions, 7,  23  :  "We  make  festival  days  of  the  sabbath  and  the 
Lord's  Day.  The  one  as  a  remembrance  of  the  creation,  the  other  of  the 
resurrection." 

*  "As  concerns  kneeling  also  [our  habits  of]  prayer  suffer  diversity 
through  a  certain  few  who  on  the  sabbath  [seventh  day]  abstain  from 
kneeling.  .  .  .  The  Lord  will  favorably  grant  either  that  they  [the  dis- 
sentients] give  up,  or  that  they  practise  their  opinions  without  scandal- 


46  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  IV. 

If  we  turn  to  the  Gospels  we  find  no  direction  uttered 
by  the  Savior  as  to  the  manner  in  which  Sunday  should 
be  observed,  or  as  to  whetlier  it  should  be  observed  at  all. 
We  find,  also,  no  such  terms  as  "Lord's  Day,"  "Eighth 
Day,"  or  "Sunday,"  but  merely  the  Jewish  term  "First 
Day." 

§  3.  Eating  of  Blood. 

Among  Jews  a  belief  prevailed  that  the  life  or  soul 
was  in  the  blood,  so  that  if  the  blood  remained  in  cooked 
meat  the  life  or  soul  would  be  eaten  equally  as  the 
body.  This  gave  rise  doubtless  to  the  prohibition  in 
Genesis,^  —  a  prohibition  which  is  deemed  binding  by 
Jews  even  at  the  present  day,^''  and  has  been  adopted  in 
the  Greek  Church,"  a  Church  more  influenced  than  the 
Latin  one  by  Jewish  views. 

Jewish  Christiiins  retained  the  belief  or  prejudice  in 
which  they  had  been  brought  up.  The  favorite  argu- 
ment ^2  against  the  obligation  of  Gentiles  to  obey  what 
were  deemed  Mosaic  institutions  did  not  apply  to  the 
present  prohibition.  When  the  Apostles  and  elders  at 
Jerusalem  debated  this  with  other  matters,  there  was  (Acts 
15,  7)  "  much  disputing."  Peter's  statement  seems  to  have 
efifected  a  decision  that  the  Mosaic  ritual  law  was  not 
binding  on  Gentiles,  but  to  this  the  following  answer  was 
obvious.  If  we  assume  that  the  Mosaic  law  is  not  bind- 
ing, how  does  that  justify  us  in  releasing  Gentile  Chris- 

iziiig  others." — Tertoillian,  De  Oral.  18;  al.  2.3.  Compare,  however, 
(in  Rheinwald,  p.  160,  note  2)  views  of  Tertullian,  De  Jcjun.  14,  after  he 
became  a  Montanist. 

8  "  But  flesh  with  the  life  thereof,  which  is  the  blood  thereof,  shall  ye 
not  eat."  — Gen.  9, 4. 

i<>  If  it  be  true  that  needless  suffering  is  caused  to  slaughtered  animals 
for  the  sake  of  freeing  them  from  all  blood,  it  could  be  wished  that  Jews 
might  learn  to  regard  the  eating  of  blood  in  a  different  light. 

^1  "The  Eastern  Church  has  continually  preserved  this  abstinence 
[from  blood],  and  preserves  it  even  now."  — Routh,  Reliquiae  Source,  1, 
note  on  p.  343. 

12  See  note  2,  and  in  Ch.  II.  note  11. 


§  3.]  EATING   OF  BLOOD.  47 

tians  from  an  obligation  which  existed  before  the  Mosaic 
law  ?  The  present  precept  was  given  before  the  time  of 
Moses,  and  cannot  therefore  have  been  intended  for  Jews 
only. 

The  Apostles  and  elders  evidently  did  not  see  their  way 
clear  to  meet  this  objection,  and,  in  writing  to  the  Gentile 
Christians,  they  include  abstinence  "from  blood  and  from 
things  strangled  "  as  among  necessary  observances.^^ 

The  question  caused  sharp  disputing  among  tlie  early 
Christians,  but  in  the  Gospels  we  find  no  word  concern- 
ing it.  The  statement  of  Jesus  (Matt.  15,  ll ;  Mark  7,  15), 
that  a  man  is  not  defiled  by  what  enters  his  mouth  but  by 
what  proceeds  from  it,  does  not  accord  with  the  view  that 

13  "It  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Spirit  and  to  us  to  lay  upon  you  no 
greater  burden  than  these  necessary  things.  That  you  abstain  from 
meats  offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from  things  strangled,  and 
from  fornication."  —  Acts  15,  is,  29.  The  allusion  to  the  Holy  Spirit 
means  probably  that  they  interpreted  Peter's  vision  as  a  communica- 
tion from  God  which  justified  them  in  not  requiring  from  Gentiles  an 
observance  of  the  Mosaic  ceremonial  law,  though  they  did  not  infer  from 
it  any  exemption  from  other  obligations,  or  supposed  obligations,  which 
they  specify. 

In  the  Letter  from  the  Churches  of  Lyons  and  Vienne  it  is  said  : 
"  How  should  they  [the  Christians]  —  for  whom  it  is  not  lawful  to  eat 
the  blood  of  unreasoning  animals  —  eat  children  ?  "  —  Routh,  Rcliq. 
Sacrce,  1,  304.  TertuUian  says  :  "  Your  error  [concerning]  Christians 
should  cause  a  blush,  since  we  do  not  have  even  the  blood  of  animals 
among  our  articles  of  food,  since  we  abstain,  moreover,  from  things 
strangled  .  .  .  lest  we  .should  he  contaminated  by  any  blood." — Apol. 
{)  ;  0pp.  pp.  10  D,  11  A.  Clement  of  Alexandria  says  :  "To  human 
beings  it  is  not  lawful  to  touch  blood,  .since  to  them  the  body  is  merely 
flesh,  operated  [vivified  ?]  by  blood.  Human  blood  participates  in  the 
logos  [reason  ?]  and  shares  with  the  spirit  the  [Divine]  favor."  —  Pcedag. 
3,  2.5,  al.  3  ;  0pp.  p.  267,  edit.  Potter.  Minucius  Felix  also  states  (Octa- 
vitis,  30,  p.  154)  that  Christians  do  not  reckon  blood  in  their  list  of  eat- 
ables. These  writers,  except  Clement  of  Alexandria,  belong  to  the 
semi-Jewish  school  of  Christians.  Origen  mentions  (cont,.  Cels.  8,  20) 
the  letter  of  the  Apostles  and  elders  above  cited,  but  prefixes  to  it  the 
words  of  Jesus  (Matt.  15,  ll)  that  not  the  things  which  enter  the  mouth 
but  those  which  come  out  defile  us,  and  the  remark  of  Paul  (1  Cor.  8,  8) 


48         INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OF  HISTORY.     [cH.  IV. 

blood  in  the  food  must  be  avoided,  nor  is  it  so  specific  on 
this  point  as  it  would  have  been  made  by  the  opposite 
party  of  Christians. 

§  4.  Baptism. 

The  date  when  baptism  originated  is  unknown.  A 
question  addressed  to  John  the  Baptist  implies  that  it 
existed  before  his  time.-'*  Probably  Jewish  belief  in  the 
uncleanliness  of  heathens  had  prompted  the  ablution  of 
converts  to  Judaism,  and  this  ablution  came  thus  to  be 
considered  as  an  initiatory  rite. 

Subseqiiently  to  the  Savior's  ministry,  when  the  Apos- 
tles were  difi'using  their  Master's  religion,  baptism  seems 
to  have  been  commonly  administered  to  those  who  ac- 
cepted their  teacliings.  Whether  it  were  the  universal 
form  of  admission  may  be  open  to  question,  though 
admissions  without  it  cannot  have  been  numerous.  We 
even  find  mention  in  one  locality  of  vicarious  baptism,^^ 
wliich  implies  that  those  who  practised  it  must  have 
imagined  the  rite  a  necessary  one. 

In  the  second  century  baptism  seems  to  have  been  the 
generally  accepted  form  of  admission.  Great  importance 
and  efficacy  were  attached  to  it.  None  but  the  baptized 
were,  if  we  may  credit  Justin  Martyr,  admitted  ^'°  to  the 

that  food  does  not  determine  our  acceptability  to  God.  Augustine  states 
{cont.  Faushim,  32,  13  ;  0pp.  6,  p.  200,  col.  2  C)  that  the  avoidance  of 
things  strangled  and  of  blood  had  about  died  out  in  Gentile  churches 
■where  there  was  no  admixture  of  Jews.  He  may  have  referred  specially 
to  Latin  ones. 

1*  The  question  addres.sed  to  John  (John  1,  25)  is  not  concerning  the 
meaning  of  baptism,  but  "  Why  baptizest  thou  ?  "  The  questioners  seem 
to  have  been  acquainted  with  baptism  and  to  have  wished  infonuation 
merely  as  to  why  John  practised  it. 

15  Baptism  for  the  dead  (1  Cor.  15,  29)  indicates  that  some  had  been 
baptized  for  their  departed  relatives  or  friends. 

16  «'in  what  manner  we  have  dedicated  ourselves  to  God,  being  created 
anew  through  Christ,  we  will  now  relate.  ...  As  many  as  are  persuaded 
...  are  led  by  us  where  there  is  water  ...  are  born  again,  for  they 
perform  this  bathing  ...  in  the  name  of  the  Father  of  all  things  and 


§  4.]  BAPTISM.  49 

Lord's  Supper,  which  had  already  become  something  mys- 
terious ;  yet  we  find  dissentients. 

"  Those  wretches  excite  questionings.  They  say,  '  bap- 
tism is  therefore  unnecessary  [for  those]  to  whom  faith  is 
sufficient.' "  ^^ 

If  we  now  turn  to  the  Gospels  we  find  that  although 
Jesus  was  baptized,  yet  the  only  baptism  of  those  who 
followed  him  was  performed  by  his  disciples,  not  by  him- 
self (John  4,  2),  and  there  is  no  statement  that  this  bap- 
tism was  by  his  direction.  Some  dispute  on  the  subject 
took  place  between  John's  disciples  and  a  Jew  or  Jews,^^ 
the  former  of  whom  seem  to  have  felt  sore  on  the  sub- 
ject.^^  Thereupon  Jesus  left  that  section  of  country  20 
and  during  the  rest  of  his  ministry  not  the  slightest  allu- 
sion is  made  in  three  of  the  Gospels  to  baptism  21  and  but 
one  mention  of  it  in  the  remaining  Gospel.  That  mention 
occurs  in  the  following  direction  of  Jesus :  —  "Go  and 
make  disciples  of  all  nations  \haptizing  them  into  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit] 
teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  which  I  have  com- 
manded you."  ^ 

Master-God,  and  of  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  — 
Justin  Martyr,  Jpol.  1,  61. 

"  This  nourishment  is  called  among  us  the  Eucharist,  of  which  it  is  not 
permissible  for  any  one  to  partake  unless  .  .  .  bathed  with  the  bathing 
for  remission  of  sins  and  for  regeneration."  —  Justin  Martyr,  Apol.  1, 
66.  Compare  views  of  Hermas  c[uoted  in  Underworld  Mission,  pp.  58, 
59  ;  3d  edit.  pp.  55  -  57. 

1^  Tertullian,  de  Baptisnio,  1.3.  Tertullian's  opponents  {de  Baptismo, 
11)  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  Jesus  did  not  baptize. 

18  ' '  Then  there  arose  a  question  between  some  of  John's  disciples  and 
the  Jews,  about  purifying."  —  John  3,  25. 

1'  "  And  they  came  unto  John,  and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  he  that  was 
with  you  beyond  Jordan,  to  whom  you  bore  testimony,  behold,  the  same 
baptizeth,  and  all  men  come  to  him."  —  John  3,  2G. 

^'^  '■  He  left  Judea,  and  departed  again  into  Galilee."  —  John  4,  3. 

21  The  concluding  verses  appended  to  Mark's  Gospel  (16,9-20)  are 
known  to  be  spurious.  Compare  on  this  subject  Ch.  XI.  note  10.  The 
Gospel  as  written  by  Mark  ends  with  verse  8. 

22  Matt.  28,  19,  20.     Compare  Appendix,   Note  A,  §  15.     The  bap- 


50  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  iv. 

In  this  instance,  and  in  this  only,  we  have  in  one  of 
the  Gospels  a  custom  of  the  second  century  unknown  to 
the  Apostolic  Age.^  The  question  may  arise  whether  the 
passage  in  brackets  be  not  due  to  some  marginal  comment 
which  has  crept  into  the  text ;  whether  it  be  supposable 
that  if  Jesus  had  given  such  a  direction  the  Apostles 
would  have  omitted  to  comply  with,  and  teach  obedience 
to  it. 

The  formula,  whether  it  belongs  or  not  to  the  text, 
originated  earlier  than  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  We 
find  it  in  Justin  Martyr,  who  wrote  half  a  century  before 
any  deification  of  the  Spirit  as  a  person.^*  He  treats  the 
formula  as  common  at  a  date  when,  as  may  be  inferred 
from  his  writings,  the  deification  of  Jesus  was  barely 
incipient.     On  its  origin  see  Appendix,  Note  P. 

§  5.    The  LorcCs  Supper. 

Jesus  at  the  close  of  his  ministry,  when  partaking  for 
the  last  time  of  a  meal  with  those  who  had  been  com- 
panions of  his  ministry,  asked  them  that  when  subse- 


tismal  formula  however,  as  it  exists  in  Matthew,  is  not  found  in  the 
Acts  of  Pilate.     Did  it  originate  later  than  that  document  ? 

^  The  formula  in  the  Apostolic  Age  appears  in  the  following  passages  : 
"They  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  —  Acts  8, 
16.  "  He  [Peter]  commanded  them  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord."  —  Acts  10,  48.  "  They  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus." — Acts  19,5.  "Be  baptized  and  wash  away  thy  sins, 
calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord."  —  Acts  22,  16. 

^*  At  an  earlier  date  than  the  one  mentioned  above,  the  Alexandrine 
Gnostics  (concerning  whom  see  Judaism,  pp.  331 -336)  personified  the 
Holy  Spirit  as  an  aeon.  Whether  they  regarded  these  aeons  as  real  beings 
may  be  doubted,  but  according  to  their  statements  Christ  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  were  developed  subsequently  to  Man  and  the  Assembly.  No 
thought,  therefore,  of  deifying  either  can  have  had  place  in  their  minds. 
Neither  Christ  nor  the  Holy  Spirit  in  their  system  belonged  to  the  first 
or  higher  Ogdoad  of  the  aeons.  See  Norton's  Genuineness,  1st  edit. 
Vol.  3,  pp.  113-130,  and  compare,  in  Judaism,  a  note  on  pp.  353, 
354. 


en.  v.]  DESIGNATIONS   FOR   GOD.  51 

quently  they  were  at  any  time  together,  they  should,  in 
remembrance  of  him,  break  bread  and  drink  a  cup  of 
wine. 

In  the  second  century  we  find  that  Christians,  in  copy- 
ing this  custom,  had  mingled  with  it  conceptions  to  which 
the  Master  nowhere  alludes.  Had  they  originated  the 
Gospel  narrative  the  simple  request  of  Jesus  would  have 
worn  a  much  more  marvellous  appearance. 


CHAPTEE   V. 

DESIGNATIONS  FOR  GOD. 


Among  heathens  the  term  god,  equally  as  the  term 
man,  was  a  common  noun,  designating  any  or  every  god, 
but  specifying  no  one  in  particular.^  If  they  wished  to 
specify  some  one  god  they  did  so  by  using  his  name. 

Christians  alleged,  as  already  stated  (see  p.  36),  that 
the  Supreme  Being  was  devoid  of  name :  that  he  had  no 
need  of  a  name,  since  he  had  no  equals  from  whom  he 
needed  to  be  distinguislied.  They  said  that  he  could  not 
have  a  name  because  there  was  no  one  older  than  himself 
who  could  have  named  him.^ 

In  addressing  heathens,  however,  the  Cliristians  found 
constant  need  of  using  some  designation  for  the  Supreme 
Being,  which  should  prevent  their  words  from  being  mis- 
applied to  any  other.  Sometimes  they  termed  him  "  the 
God  without  a  name."  ^     In  other  instances   they  used 

^  See  Judaism  at  Ro)ne,  pp.  2-4. 

2  See  quotations  in  Underworld  Mission,  p.  152,  note  t ;  3d  edit, 
p.  146,  note  5.     Compare  in  the  present  work  Ch.  VIII.  note  4. 

8  'Avuvdnaa-TOi,  Tatian,  Orat.  4  ;  Just.  Mart.  Apol.  1,  f.3,  p.  262  C. 
On  this  and  other  designations  by  Christians  compare  Judaism,  p.  352, 
note  46.  For  designations  used  by  Jews  among  heathens  see  Judaism, 
p.  4,  note  4. 


52  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  V, 

designations,  several  of  which  are  subjoined  with  a  slight 
attempt  at  classification. 

"  The  true  God  " ;  "  Him  who  is  really  God  " ;  "  the  sole 
God  "  ;  "  the  unborn  "  or  "  unoriginated  God  " ;  "  the  first 
God  "  ;  "  the  ineffable  God  "  or  "  the  God  not  to  be  con- 
versed with."  * 

"  The  Father  of  Justice  "  ;  "  the  Just  Overseer  "  ;  "  the 
God  not  to  be  swayed  "  nor  "  bribed."  ^ 

"  The  God  free  from  suffering "  ;  "  the  imperishable 
God";  "the  ever-existing  God";  "the  eternal  God."^ 

"  The  God  of  all  things  "  ;  "  the  Master-God  "  ;  "  The 
All-Ruler  "  ;  "  King  of  the  Heavens  " ;  "  God  over  the 
world."  "^ 

"  The  Creator  " ;  "  God  the  Maker  " ;   "  God,  Maker  of 


*  Geos  aXiqdivbs,  Justin  Martyr,  Apol.  1,  .5.3,  p.  242  C.  6  6vtu}%  Oebi, 
or  deb%  &vtij3%  &v.  Just.  Aj)ol.  1,  13,  p.  164  E  ;  Clem.  Alex.  Protrept.  2."?, 
Pacd.  1,  S8,  pp.  20,  150.  icrwy  fibvos  Cov,  Clem.  Alex.  Paed.  1,  71,  p.  140. 
Oebs  ayivvTiToi,  Cohort,  ad  Grsecos,  2-2,  p.  66  A  ;  Just.  Mart.  Apol.  1,  14, 
2.i,  40,  .w,  2,  G,  12,  1.3,  pp.  66  A,  164  B,  190  B,  234  B,  240  A,  296  D,  310 
C,  312  D  ;  d7^f7?Toj,  Athenagoras,  Legat.  4,  8,  22,  pp.  20  B,  38  D, 
108  B.  6  wpCoToi  6e6s,  Just.  Apol.  1,  60,  p.  256  B.  6e6s  dppyjTos,  Just. 
Apol.  1,  9,  Gi,  2,  12,  13,  pp.  154,  D,  260  D,  310  C,  312  D. 

^  Ylarrjp  5iKaio(T<uvqs,  Just.  Apol.  1,  G,  p.  148  C.  twc  Travruv  iirbiTTt)^ 
SiVaios,  Just.  Apol.  2,  12,  p.  310  A.  debs  drpeirros,  Just.  Apol.  1,  1.3, 
p.  164  A.     oiidi  5upo8oKr)T^os,  Tatian,  Oral.  4. 

6  Qebi  aTtadris,  Just.  Apol.  1,  2.5,  p.  190  B  ;  Athenag.  Legat.  8,  p.  38  D  ; 
Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  2,  40,  p.  450.  debs  S.<p9apT0i,  Just.  Dial.  .5,  p.  28  D. 
Oebs  del  (bv.  Cohort,  ad  Grsec.  22  ;  Just.  Apol.  1,  14,  pp.  66  E,  164  A. 
dtStos,  Cohort,  ad  Grjec.  22,  p.  66  A  (comp.  2.5,  26,  pp.  74  A  B,  76  D)  ; 
Athenag.  Legat.  22.  p.  108  B. 

■^  Til'  iravTwv  debs.  Just.  Apol.  1,  .58,  p.  252  A.  debs  (rvfiwAvTuiv,  Clem. 
Alex.  Paed.  1,  74,  p.  142.  twi/  b\wv  Oebs,  Strom.  2,  4.5,  p.  453.  deairbrrts 
or  Sea-ird^wv  debt.  Just.  Apol.  1,  12,  14,  32,  .36,  40,  44,  46,  61  [bis],  2,  6, 
pp.  162  A,  166  D,  206  C,  212  E,  218  A,  224  C,  230  D,  258  A  D,  296  D. 
deffiroTrjt  tQv  &\wv,  Clem.  Alex.  Protrept.  10,  06,  p.  77  ;  Tatian,  Orat.  ,5. 
TravTOKpdrup,  Just.  Dial.  16,  06,  130,  142,  pp.  56  B,  328  A,  456  A,  462  D  ; 
Clem.  Alex.  Paed.  1,  84  ;  Strom.  4,  172,  pp.  148,  641.  Theophilus,  ad 
Autol.  1,  4,  p.  14  D.  Bo<riXei>s  twv  oirpavCiv,  Just.  Apol.  2,  2,  p.  288  C. 
iiirkp  Kb<rp.ov  debs,  Just.  Dial.  60,  p.  200  A. 


CH.  v.]  DESIGNATIONS   FOR  GOD.  53 

the  world  "  ;  "  Maker  of  the  universe  "  ;  "Architect  [of  the 
world]."  ^ 

"  Parent  of  all  things  "  ;  "  Father  of  the  universe  "  ; 
"  Father  of  things  visible  and  invisible  "  ;  "  Father  of  the 
Heavens  "  or  simply  "  the  Fatlier,"  meaning  "  the  Origi- 
nator" or  sometimes,  in  accordance  with  Jewish  usage, 
"  the  watchful  Parent."  ^ 

Possibly  some  heathen  may  have  treated  these  epithets 
as  equivalent  to  names,  since  a  Christian  writer  parries 
any  such  view.^° 

If  we  turn  to  the  Gospels  we  find  that  the  appellatives 
for  the  Deity  are  simply  those  which  had  been  common 
among  Jews  in  their  intercourse  with  each  other.  They 
show  no  traces  of  Christian  effort  to  prevent  heathen 
misconception. 

8  Ktkjttis,  Just.  Apol.  2,6,  p.  296  D.  ^eos  6  Trot^cras,  Just.  Apol.  1,  58, 
p.  252  B.  debs  rbv  iravra  Kda/xov  noi'^aas,  Just.  A2}oL  2,  5,  p.  294  A. 
ToO  Kufffxov  TToi-qTris,  Athenag.  Legal,  s  [bis],  10,  pp.  38  D,  42  C,  48  -  50. 
6  iroiTjTr^s  Tuiu  iravTuv,  Just.  Apol.  1,  20,  5S,  67,  pp.  180  C,  252  A,  268  D. 
non!]Ti]i  TovSe  toD  iravrbs,  Just.  Apol.  1,  26,  p.  194  B,  Athenag.  Legal. 
4,  30,  pp.  22  C,  160  D  ;  De  Resurrect,  is,  p.  262  D.  debs  d7]/j.iovpy6s,  Just. 
Apol.  1,  8,  13,  23,  26,  58,  63,  pp.  152  A,  162  C,  186  C,  192  A,  252  A,  264 
B  ;  Athenag.  Legal.  lO,  13,  pp.  48  -  50,  58  B  ;  Clem.  Alex.  Faed.  1,  73, 
p.  141. 

®  Oebs  aird.i'TOjv  yewT^up,  Jnst.  Apol.  1,  13,  p.  164  A.  varrip  rCjv  iravruv. 
Just.  Apol.  1,  8,  12,  .32,  40,  4.%  46,  2,  6,  pp.  152  A,  162  A,  206  B,  218  A, 
228  D,  230  D,  296  D.  irar'np  rod  iravrbs,  Athenag.  Legal.  13,  p.  58  B. 
■n-arrjp  tQiv  6\wv,  Just.  Apol.  1,  44,  61  [bis]  63  [ter],  G.%  pp.  224  C,  258  A  D, 
264  B  C  [bis],  266  D  ;  Clem.  Alex.  Pacd.  1,  35,  08,  3, 40,  pp.  129,  138, 
278.  irarrip  al<T0rjTCov  Kal  dopdrwv,  Tatian,  Oral,  4.  irarijp  tQv  ovpavCiv, 
Just.  Apol.  2,  2,  p.  288  C. 

^°  "The  terms  Father,  and  God,  and  Creator,  and  Lord,  and  Master, 
are  not  names,  but  appellations  [derived  from]  his  benefits  and  actions." 
—  Just  Mart.  Apol.  2,  6  ;  Oi)p.  1,  p.  296  D. 


54  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF  HISTORY.  [cH.  VI. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

TERMS  APPLIED  TO  CHRISTIANS. 

§  1.    .<4o-e/3et9,  Unbelievers. 

In  the  contest  between  Judaism  and  heathenism,  and 
subsequently  in  that  of  Judaism  and  Christianity  against 
heathenism,  certain  terms  came  into  existence  as  des- 
ignations for  those  who  had  given  up  heathenism.  Dur- 
ing poHtical  embitterment  the  active  use  of  these  terms 
was  such  that  we  find  them  frequently  occurring  in  his- 
toric literature.  Had  the  Gospels  been  in  process  of 
formation  during  such  times,  it  is  hardly  possible  that 
some  of  these  epithets  should  not  have  been  mentioned, 
and  that  those  deemed  unjust  should  not  have  been  con- 
demned. 

One  of  these  terms  was  "Unbelievers."  We  find  it  in 
active  use  at  Rome  when  Jesus  was  yet  teaching  in  Ju- 
dea,  though  then  it  can  have  applied  only  to  monotheists, 
or  their  allies  in  the  popular  party.  The  aristocracy  had 
endeavored  by  conspiracy  and  open  revolt  to  overthrow 
Tiberius  and  crush  the  popular  party.  They  had  mur- 
dered many  of  its  leaders  and  prominent  members.  When 
order  was  restored  and  the  murderers  were  prosecuted 
for  their  crimes,  they  retorted  with  charges  of  Unbelief.^ 
If  the  prosecutor  alleged:  You  murdered  my  brother  or 
my  relative,  the  answer  was  :  You  do  not  believe  in  the 
Gods  ;  or,  You  do  not  believe  in  the  divinity  of  Augustus. 
A  notable  instance  of  this  hns  been  given  in  the  latter 
half  of  note  14  in  Ch.  II.  The  aristocracy  subsequently 
resorted  to  the  same  charge  against  others,  whenever  they 
deemed  it  for  their  political  interest  so  to  do.^  Against 
Christians  it  was  a  common  charge. 

^  For  a  fuller  account  see  Judaism,  p.  211,  note  85,  and  for  the  politi- 
cal condition  under  which  it  occurred  see  the  same  work,  pp.  631  -  534^ 
*  See  Judaism,  pp.  7  -  10,  473-  474,  and  534,  note  114. 


§§2,3.]  ATHEISTS.  —  CHRISTIANS.  55 

The  term  Unbeliever,  or  Unbelievers,  does  not  occur 
in  the  Gospels.  This  would  have  been  very  improbable 
if  they  or  any  of  them  had  been  fabricated  in  Europe,  or 
perhaps  even  in  Asia,  at  a  later  date. 

§  2.  Atheists. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  first  century  the  term  Athe- 
ists came  into  use  as  a  designation  for  Christians.  The 
use  of  this  term  was  not  contined  to  Italy  or  to  Europe, 
for  we  find  it  used  by  the  Jewish  aristocracy  in  Judea. 
A  relative  of  the  Emperor  Domitian  was  put  to  death  on 
a  charge  of  Atheism ;  and  Polycarp  was  asked  to  save  his 
life  by  saying,  "  Destroy  the  Atheists."  The  term  must 
from  the  close  of  the  first  century  have  been  actively  in 
use  as  a  designation  for  Christians,  who  of  course  earnestly 
denied  the  propriety  of  such  usage.^  The  term  is  not 
found  in  the  Gospels. 

§  3.   Christians. 

The  term  Christians  *  came  into  use  already  in  Apos- 
tolic times,  .as  a  designation  for  the  followers  of  Jesus. 
It  must  have  been  widely  current  both  in  Europe  and 
Asia  before  the  last  quarter  of  the  first  century. 

Heathens  sometimes  altered  the  word  Christos  or  Chris- 
tus,  Christ,  to  Chrestos  and  Chrestus,  a  term  to  which 
Clement  of  Alexandria  gives  an  ethical  meaning  of  his 
own  and  to  which  others  objected.^ 

Neither  of  these  terms  occurs  in  the  Gospels ;  their 
absence  would  be  very  remarkable  were  the  Gospels  fab- 
ricated in  the  second  century,  or  even  at  the  close  ot 
the  first. 

*  See  citations  from  dilFerent  \vriters  in  Judaism,  pp.  473,  474,  foot- 
notes 52-57. 

*  "  The  disciples  were  called  Christians  first  in  Antioch." — Acts  11, 
2(>.  "Then  Agrippa  said  to  Paul  :  You  almost  persuade  me  to  become  a 
Christian."  —  Acts  26,  .!s.  "  Yet  if  any  man  suffer  as  a  Christian,  let 
him  not  be  ashamed."  —  1  Peter  4,  u:. 

5  See  Judaism,  Ch.  VIII.  note  136. 


56  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  vn. 

§  4.  Third  Race. 

Christians  occasionally  spoke  of  themselves  as  a  new, 
or  distinct  race,^  meaning  to  distinguish  themselves  from 
Jews  and  heathens.  This  prompted  heathens  to  desig- 
nate and  persecute  them  as  a  "  Third  Eace."  No  such 
term  or  allusion  to  it  occurs  in  the  Gospels. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

TERMS  USED   BY  CHRISTIANS. 

§  1.    Aae^r]<;,  aae^eia,  avofio^,  avofiia. 

Christians  equally  with  Jews,  when  brought  into  con- 
tact with  Gentiles,  needed  terms  to  express  the  various 
classes  of  the  latter.  They  designated  a  heathen  as 
do-€yS7/s,  an  Unbeliever.  Heathenism  they  termed  do-c^tia, 
Unbelief,  or  non-recognition  of  God.  By  dvo/A05,  Law-Icss, 
they  understood  a  heathen,  or  a  IMonotheist  who  did  not 
accept  the  ceremonial  law  ;  and  by  dvo/Ata,  LAW-lessness, 
the  non-acceptance  of  this  law.  This  special  sense  of  the 
words  law-less  and  law-lessness  did  not  of  course  prevent 
their  being  used  in  their  common  signification  of  a  trans- 
gressor and  transOTCSsion. 

These  terms  were  in  use,  the  first  two  in  common  use, 

^  Peter  uses  it  (1  Pet.  2,  9)  in  connection  with  nation  and  people,  as 
one  of  several  designations  for  Christians.  See  other  uses  of  it  in  Juda- 
ism, p.  474.  TertuUian  stoutly  objects  to  it.  "Have  Christians  a  dif- 
ferent kind  of  teeth,  or  a  different  opening  for  their  jaws  ?  .  .  .  We  are 
called  a  third  race, — dog-tailed,  perhaps,  or  shadow- footed,  or  it  may 
be  Antipodes  from  below  the  earth.  .  .  .  Ridiculous  madness.  .  .  .  But 
we  are  deemed  a  third  race  because  of  our  religion  not  of  our  national 
origin  as  Romans  or  Jews."  —  Ad  Nat.  1,  7,  s  ;  p.  53  A  D,  edit.  Rigault. 
Elsewhere  he  speaks  of  the  heathen  with  their  circus  :  "Where  they  can 
readily  cry  out,  how  long  to  the  third  race  ? "  —  Scorpiace,  lo,  p.  628  B. 


§§  2,  3.]  TERMS   USED   BY   CHRISTIANS.  57 

among  Christians  outside  of  Judea,  and  are  not  infre- 
quent in  the  Apostolic  writings.  In  the  Gospels  the 
first  two  do  not  occur,  nor  in  the  sense  above  mentioned 
is  either  of  the  latter  to  be  found.^  This  would  be  dif- 
ficult to  account  for,  at  least  as  regards  the  first  two,  if 
the  Gospels  were  anything  different  from  what  they  pro- 
fess to  be,  honest  records  of  events  in  Judea. 

These  terms  were  common  ones  among  Jews  and  Chris- 
tians, resident  in  heathen  communities,  to  designate  a 
CONVERT  to  the  belief  in  one  God.^  The  former  of  them 
does  not  occur  in  the  Gospels,  and  the  latter,  though 
occurring  twice  in  Luke  (1,  50 ;  18,  2),  is  nowhere  in  the 
Gospels  used  in  this  peculiar  sense. 

§  3.  Evae^eta^  euae/S?]?. 

Jews  and  Christians  used  the  above  terms  to  designate 
practical- monotheism  and  a  practical  Monotheist,*  one 
who  lived  in  accordance  with  his  obligation  to  God. 
These  terms  were  common  outside  of  Judea,  and  appear 
several  times  in  the  Apostolic  writings,^  but  are  un- 
known to  the  Gospels. 

1  "Ao-e^ijs,  Rom.  4,  r>,  5,  G  ;  1  Tim.  1,  9  ;  1  Peter  4,  18  ;  2  Peter  2,  r>, 
3,  7  ;  Jude,  4,  15.  'Acr^^eia,  Rom.  1,  IS,  11,  2C ;  2  Tim.  2,  16 ;  Tit.  2, 
12  ;  Jude,  1.%  18.       'Avofios,  Acts  2,  23  ;    1  Cor.   9,  21 ;   2  Thess.  2,  8  ; 

1  Tim.  1,  9 ;  2  Peter  2,  8.  'Avofua,  Rom.  4,  7.  On  the  use  of  this 
word  see  Judaism,  pp.  467,  468. 

2  In  Mark  15,  28,  and  Luke  22,  .37,  is  the  quotation  from  Isaiah 
(53,  12)  "He  was  reckoned  with  the  Law-Icss,"  meaning  apparently  with 
transgressors,  a  use  of  the  word  different  from  that  above  noted.  'Afo/xta 
occurs  four  times  in  Matthew,  but  nowhere  in  the  specific  sense  above 
mentioned. 

^  See  quotations  in  Judaism,  p.  471. 

*  See  (fuotations  in  Jicdaism,  pp.  465-467. 

6  'Rvci^aa,   Acts  3,  12  ;  1  Tiin.  2,  2  ;  3,  IG  ;  4,  7,  8  ;  6,  3,  .5,  6,  11  ; 

2  Tim.  3,  .=) ;  Tit.  1,  1  ;  2  Pet.  1,  3,  C,  7,  3,  11.  EiJcre/S^s,  Acts  10,  2,  7 ; 
22,  12  ;  2  Pet.  2,  0. 


58  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF  HISTORY.  [cH.  vn. 

Closely  related  to  the  foregoing  is  the  verb  iva-^/Silv,  to 
monotheize-practically,  and  the  adverb  evae/Sws,  practically 
monotheistic,  which  occur  with  sufficient  frequency  in 
Christian  writers  to  strengthen  the  argument  somewhat 
by  their  non-appearance  in  the  Gospels. 

§  4.    Qeoae^eia,  ^eoae/S^?. 

These  words  with  some  of  their  cognates  appear  fre- 
quently in  Christian  writings  of  the  second  and  third 
centuries,^  so  that  their  absence  from  the  Gospels,  with 
the  one  exception  noted  below,'^  would  have  been  unlikely 
if  they  had  been  written  or  in  course  of  accretion  dur- 
ing the  second  century.  The  argument  is  less  applicable 
to  the  Apostolic  Age,  because  at  that  date  the  question 
of  euo-e'^cia,  practical-monotlieism,  that  is,  the  question 
whether  a  man  could  practically  recognize  God  without 
becoming  a  Jew,  overlaid,  as  a  subject  of  discussion,  any 
question  of  mere  conversion  to  monotheism. 

§  5.     ASeX(f)o[,  ^ei/oc,  7rdvT€<;. 

The  first  of  these  words,  Brethren,  came  into  use,  at 
least  among  Jewish  Christians,  in  the  Apostolic  Age  to 
denote  their  fellow-Christians  of  Jewish  origin.^  The 
second,  Foreigners,  was  used  to  denote  Christians  of  Gen- 
tile descent.^  The  third  term,  All  Men,  was  a  designation 
for  both  classes,  namely,  Jews  and  Gentiles.^^     In  some 

^  See  Judaisin,  pp.  460-465. 

^  In  the  Gospel  of  John  (9,  3i)  Oeoa-e^rii  is  represented  as  used  by  one 
who  had  been  cured  of  blindness.  Jesus  is  nowhere  said  to  have  uttered 
a  word  concerning  Ofoffe^els,  large  as  was  this  class  of  believers  in  God. 

*  See  Judaism,  p.  255,  note  211. 

9  Ibid. 

10  Rom.  3,  2-2,  23  ;  5,  12,  is  ;  Gal.  3,  28  ;  3  John,  12.  The  Cohortatio 
ad  Grajcos  (c.  !•!)  contrasts  the  words  Monotheists  and  All  Men.  Under 
the  latter  term  its  author  intended  to  include  reputed  heathens.  He 
may  have  had  in  mind  Stoics,  but  more  probably  referred  to  the  writers 
of  certain  Jewish  documents  temporarily  in  circulation  with  a  professedly 
heathen  authorship.     On  these  documents,  see  Judaism,  pp.  336-342. 


§  6.]  TERMS   USED   BY   CHRISTIANS.  59 

cases  it  meant  only  such  of  these  as  had  become  Chris- 
tians, though  it  is  also  used  to  designate  non-Christians, 
whether  Jew  or  Gentile. 

In  tlie  peculiar  sense  above  mentioned  these  words  do 
not  occur  in  the  Gospels. 

§  6.    AUatoL^  Just  Men. 

This  was  a  term  for  those  who,  prior  to  the  time  of 
Moses,  or  else  prior  to  the  time  of  Abraham,  were  said 
to  have  been  acceptable  to  God.^^  Two  ages,  or  eras,  of 
Just  Men  were  recognized.  In  Irenseus  these  ages  may 
have  been  from  Adam  to  Noah  and  from  Noah  to  Abra- 
ham. He  uses  the  word  patriarchs  for  those  acceptable 
to  God  during  the  period  from  Abraham  to  Moses,^^  and 
the  term  prophets  for  subsequent  teachers  in  the  old  dis- 
pensation. 

In  Justin  Martyr  ^^  and  in  Hermas  ^*  the  jfirst  age  of 
Just  Men  must  mean  those  from  Adam  to  Abraham,  who 
were  deemed  just  without  circumcision,  and  the  second 
age  those  from  Abraham  to  Moses  who,  though  circum- 
cised, did  not  observe  the  Mosaic  Law. 

11  See  Underworld  Mission,  3d  edit.,  pp.  5,  9,  11,  12,  21. 

12  '♦  The  whole  remaining  multitude  of  those  who  prior  to  Abraham 
were  Just,  and  of  those  patriarchs  who  lived  prior  to  Moses,  were  justified 
without  the  things  already  mentioned  and  without  the  Mosaic  Law."  — 
Irenaeus,  cont.  Hcercs.  4,  16,  2.  Compare  citation  in  Ch.  II.  note  11, 
where  the  second  age  of  the  world  commences  with  Noah. 

The  "things  already  mentioned"  mean  circumcision  and  the  sabbath, 
yet  Irenaeus  inconsistently  identifies  (4,  15,  l)  the  Decalogue  (which 
commands  observance  of  the  sabbath)  with  the  "natural  precepts  which 
from  the  beginning  God  implanted  in  men,"  and  speaks  of  precepts  or  a 
covenant  (3,  11,  8)  given  through  Noah.  Compare  4,  16,  3.  The  cove- 
nant through  Noah  was,  according  to  his  Greek  text,  the  first  of  four  ; 
the  second  being  through  Abraham,  the  third  through  Moses,  and  the 
fourth  through  Jesus. 

1'  The  distinction  of  Just  Men  into  two  ages  seems  distinctly  implied 
in  Justin's  Dialogue,  27,  cited  in  Ch.  II.  note  11,  though  I  believe  that 
he  nowhere  uses  the  phrase  "two  ages  of  Just  Men." 

1*  Compare  Similitude,  9,  3,  with  its  explanation  in  9,  15,  both  cited  in 
Underwo7-ld  Mission,  p.  58  ;  3d  edit.  p.  56. 


GO  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY,  [cH.  Vn. 

In  the  Gospels  the  term  Just  Men  occurs  once  (Matt. 
13,  17),  but  without  being  used  in  a  controversial  sense. 
]S'(jt  only  is  it  there  unopposed  to  those  under  the  Law, 
but  it  is  grouped  with  them  as  if  they  were  parts  of  one 
whole. 

§  7.   Jesus  Christ. 

While  Jesus  taught  in  Judea  the  question  was  debated 
whether  he  were  the  Christ.  This  term  had  not  yet  been 
conjoined  to  the  word  Jesus  as  part  of  one  name.  In 
the  Gospels  the  Master  is  almost  universally  called 
Jesus,  a  term  which  occurs  more  than  six  hundred 
times.^^  If  the  word  Christ  be  at  any  time  employed 
it  is  as  an  official  title,  usually  with  the  prefix  the,^^ 
and  we  also  find  Jesus  the  Christ.^"  The  exceptions  ^^ 
confirm,  rather  than  militate  against,  the  inference  to  be 
drawn  from  this  usage. 

^5  In  the  Glasgow  edition  of  Schmidt's  Concordance  the  word  Jesus, 
as  quoted  from  the  Gospels,  occupies  more  than  eleven  and  one  half 
columns,  and  occurs  about  tifty-four  times  in  each  column. 

w  Matt.  1,  17  ;  2,  4  ;  11,  2  ;  16,  If!  ;  22,  42  ;  23,  8,  10  ;  24,.%  23  ;  26, 
&■?.  Mark  8,  29  ;  12,  3:, ;  13,  21  ;  14,  61  ;  15,  32.  Luke  2,  2G  ;  3,  1.5  ; 
4,  41  (bis)  ;  9,  20  ;  22,  G7  ;  23,  .1.),  39.  John  1,  20,  2.%  41  ;  3,  28  ;  4,  25, 
29,  42  ;  6,  09  ;  7,  20,  27,  31,  41  (bis),  42  ;  10,  24  ;  11,  27  ;  12,  34  ;  20,  31. 
In  all  these  passages  the  article  is  in  the  Greek  text  prefixed. 

In  the  following  four  instances  the  article  is  omitted,  but  the  word 
Christ  is  nevertheless  used  as  an  official  title.  "  A  Savior  who  is  [the] 
Christ,  [the]  Lord." — Luke  2,  ll.  "We  found  this  man  .  .  .  alleg- 
ing himself  to  be  [the]  Christ,  [who  is  a]  king."  —  Luke  23,  2.  "  If 
any  one  should  acknowledge  him  [as  the]  Christ."  —  John  9,  22. 
"That  they  know  Thee  [as]  the  only  true  God,  and  thine  envoy  Jesus 
[as  the]  Christ."  —  John  17,  3. 

"  Matt.  16,  20. 

1^  The  exceptions  will  be  better  understood  by  classification  under  two 
heads,  those  which  pertain  to  the  ministry  of  Jesus  and  those  which  do 
not.     To  the  former  class  belong  two  passages. 

Mark  9,  41  :  "  Whoever  shall  give  you  a  drink  of  water  in  my  name 
[because  you  are  Christ's]  I  say  to  you  in  truth  he  shall  not  lose  his  re- 
ward." The  question  may  be  raised  whether  the  bracketed  words  have 
been  added  in  after  times  as  an  explanation.  If  so,  they  have  in  some 
authorities  displaced  part  of  those  which  precede  them. 


§  1.]  PUBLIC   GAMES.  61 

Had  tlie  Gospels  been  written,  either  in  Apostolic  or 
post-Apostolic  times,  by  persons  not  conversant  closely 
with  the  history  of  Jesus,  the  phraseology  of  these  times 
would  inevitably  have  been  applied  to  the  Master.  Jesus 
Christ  would  have  been  a  customary  term. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MISCELLANEOUS  QUESTIONS. 
§  1.  Public  Games. 


In  those  provinces  of  the  Roman  Empire  which  were 
under  control,  not  of  tlie  prince,  but  of  the  senate,  public 
games  were  a  common  occurrence.  In  the  western  por- 
tion of  the  Empire,  that  is,  in  Italy,  Gaul,  North  Africa 
(wliich  must  not  be  understood  as  including  North  Egypt), 
and  perhaps  in  Greece  and  Spain,  tliese  barbarous  amuse- 
ments involved  frequent  destruction  of  human  life,  and 
were  in  some  cases  the  means  by  which  a  political  party 
in  power  wreaked  its  malignity  on  some  of  its  opponents. 
Probably  in  Asia  Minor  and  Syria  the  strong  influence 
which  the  Jews  exercised  may  have  mitigated  these  bar- 
barities. Public  opinion  may  there  and  in  North  Egypt 
have  condemned  sacrifice  of  life  for  human  amusement, 
and  have  rendered  the  Games  comparatively  harmless. 
Yet  even  these  countries,  or  such  of  them  as  were  under 
immediate  control  of  the  senate,  were  at  times  heavily 
taxed  to  furnish  the  pecuniary  means  for  perpetrating 

John  1,  1":  "Favor  and  truth  came  tlirough  Jesus  Christ."  John 
speaks  this  in  his  own  person.  He  wrote  when  old,  and  when  the  term 
Jesus  Christ  had  become  familiar  as  a  name. 

To  the  second  class  belong  three  passages,  only  one  of  which  probably 
proceeded  from  an  evangelist.  They  are  Matt.  1,  1,  18  (concerning  which 
see  Appendix,  Note  N)  and  the  heading  of  Mark's  Gospel,  1,  1.  These 
show  how  prone  Christians  would  have  been  to  use  Christ  as  a  name 
when  not  recording  his  actual  history. 


62  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OF  HISTORY.  [cH.  VIII. 

these  barbarities  on  a  grand  scale  elsewhere.-^  We  find 
that  «uch  games,  in  a  milder  form  perhaps,  were  being 
exhibited  at  Ephesus  when  Paul  was  there.^ 

At  a  later  date  in  letters  from  Ptome  during  Paul's  first 
and  second  imprisonment,  we  find  allusions  to  these 
games,  prompted  perhaps  by  some  of  them  which  had 
taken  place  in  Italy.^ 

In  post- Apostolic  writers  we  not  infrequently  find  men- 

1  See  in  Jiidaism,  p.  72,  mention  of  the  -(Edilitian  tribute  from  which 
Cicero's  brother  had  relieved  the  provincials. 

2  The  Asiarchs  mentioned  (Acts  19,  3l)  were  officers  from  different 
localities  who  superintended,  or  gave  at  their  own  expense,  these  games. 
Their  presence  at  Ephesus  renders  it  highly  probable  that  the  games  were 
in  course  of  exhibition  when  Paul  was  there.  "We  find  in  a  letter  which 
he  wrote  at  this  date  three  or  four  allusions  to,  or  illustrations  taken 
from,  the  public  games.  Paley  might  have  added  to  his  Uorce  Paulinca 
this  coincidence  between  the  Acts  and  Paul's  epistles.  Asiarchs  is  in 
the  common  version  not  very  expressively  rendered  by  chief  of  Asia. 

Paul's  allusions  to  the  public  games  are  as  follows  :  "  Know  ye  not,  that 
of  those  who  run  in  the  race-course  all  run,  but  one  receiveth  the  prize  ? 
Thus  run,  that  ye  may  obtain.  And  every  one  who  contendeth  in  the 
games  is  temperate  in  all  things  ;  they,  however,  to  obtain  a  perishable 
crown,  but  we  an  imperishable.  I  therefore  so  run,  not  as  one  uncer- 
tain ;  I  so  fight,  not  as  one  striking  the  air."  — 1  Cor.  9,  24-26  ;  Noijes' 
trains.  "If  after  the  manner  of  men  I  have  fought  with  beasts  at 
Ephesus,  what  advantageth  it  me,  if  the  dead  rise  not  ?  let  us  eat  and 
drink  ;  for  to-morrow  we  die."  —1  Cor.  15,  .".2.  "  I  think  that  God  has 
exhibited  us  apostles  last  as  [those  in  the  public  games]  condenmed  to 
death."  —  1  Cor.  4,  o. 

8  The  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  was  written  during  Paul's  first  impris- 
onment at  Rome.  In  it  is  the  statement,  "  We  wrestle  not  against  Hesh 
and  blood,  but  against  principalities,  against  powers,  against  the  world- 
rulers  of  this  darkness."  — Sphes.  6,  12.  Again  :  In  the  Epistle  to  tlie 
Philippiana:  "Forgetting  the  tilings  behind,  and  straining  towards 
those  before,  I  press  toward  the  goal —  the  prize  of  the  upward  call  from 
God  through  Christ  Jesus."  —  3,  13,  14. 

Thti  Writer  to  the  Hebrews  borrows  also  a  simile  from  these  games. 
"  Seeing  we  also  are  encompassed  by  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us 
lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  [like  a  cloak]  might  so  easily 
entangle  us,  and  let  us  run  with  endurance  the  race  lying  before  us."  — 
12,  1. 


§  1.]  PUBLIC   GAMES,  63 

tion  of,  or  illustrations  taken  from,  these  games.'*  Chris- 
tians were  olten  sacrificed  in  them  either  by  being  pitted 
against  wild  beasts  or  in  some  other  way.  It  would  even 
seem  that  in  the  time  of  Claudius  and  Marc  Anton ine 
lions  had  been  taught  to  slowly  mangle  their  victims. 
At  least  the  historian's  language  presents  no  intelligible 
meaning  except  this.^ 

lu  the  Gospels  we  find  from  the  Teacher  of  teachers  no 
word  on  the  subject  of  these  games ;  no  condemnation  of 
them  as  barbarities ;  no  answer  put  into  the  mouth  of  his 
followers,  which  might  aid  them  in  escaping ;  no  word  of 
encouraoement  to  assist  them  in  enduring  these  atrocities. 


The  second  Epistle  to  Timothy  was  written  during  Paul's  second  im- 
prisonment. In  it  he  says,  "  If  a  man  contend  in  the  games,  he  is  not 
crowned,  unless  he  contend  lawfully."  — 2  Tim.  2,  j. 

*  See  Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  2, 110,  cited  in  Undcricorld  Mission,  p.  97  ;  3d 
edit.  p.  93.  The  Letter  from  the  Churches  of  Lyons  and  Vienne  (in 
Eusebius,  Ecc.  Hist.  5,  l)  is  mainly  devoted  to  an  account  of  barbarities 
practised  against  Christians  in  that  neighborhood  during  the  public  games. 
Among  other  atrocities  mention  is  made  (Euseb.  Ecc.  Hist.,  Vol.  2,  p.  32, 
edit.  Heinichen)  of  a  Christian  woman  enclosed  in  a  net  and  exposed  for  a 
bull  to  toss  as  an  amusement  to  the  brutal  spectators.  Compare  mention 
from  the  same  letter  of  another  victim,  cited  in  Judaism,  p.  335,  note 
10.  The  question  whether  God  (compare  Ch.  III.  §  11)  were  devoid  of 
name  seems  to  have  been  among  test  questions  addressed  to  Christians. 
"  Attalus,  .  .  .  being  asked  what  name  God  has,  answered  :  God  has 
not  a  name  like  a  human  being."  —  Eusebius,  Ecc.  Hist.  5,  l  ;  Vol.  2, 
p.  29,  edit.  Heinichen. 

TertuUian  devotes  a  treatise,  de  Spectaculis,  to  the  subject  of  public 
games. 

*  See  Dio  Cass.  60,  13,  71,  29,  quoted  in  Judaism,  pp.  75,  361.  Dur- 
ing the  reign  of  Tiberius  public  butcheries  in  the  games  were  not  allowed. 
Under  Caligula,  probably  during  his  illness,  one  such  occurrence  took 
place  which  caused  him  to  abolish  the  games  and  to  utter  an  earnest  re- 
proof to  those  who  had  been  willing  witnesses  of  such  doings.  It  must 
have  been  the  public  opinion  cultivated  during  these  two  reigns,  which 
compelled  Claudius  to  have  the  lion  killed.  Marc  Antonine  was  a  better 
man  than  Claudius,  so  that  his  permission  for  the  torture  and  murder  of 
human  beings  by  a  trained  lion  implies  a  degeneracy  and  growth  of  bar- 
barism at  Rome  between  A.  D.  41  and  A.  D.  161. 


64  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  VIII. 

§  2.  Slavery. 

Slavery  among  the  Jews  must  have  heen  confined  to 
the  households  of  a  few  among  then-  princes  or  rulers. 
In  heathen  or  semi-heathen  lands  it  was  common,  and  at 
Eome  it  existed  in  an  aggravated  form  so  as  to  force  itself 
constantly  on  public  attention.^ 

In  the  Epistles  we  find  references  to  slavery/  though 
perhaps  fewer  than  would  have  occurred  had  not  Apos- 
tolic teaching  found  its  chief  supply  of  converts  among 
the  partly  monotheized  Greeks,  rather  than  among  the 
Latins. 

In  the  Gospels  Jesus  is  nowhere  represented  as  lay- 

6  See  Judaism,  pp.  86-89,  172  note  86,  315  note  109,  320  note  124, 
455  note  130.  A  Roman  law  required,  in  case  of  a  master  being  mur- 
dered, that  all  his  slaves,  innocent  or  guilty,  should  be  executed.  Such 
an  atrocity  took  place  in  A.  D.  61  (see  Judaism,  p.  88),  though  not 
without  effort  by  the  people  to  prevent  it.  Plutarch  in  the  next  century 
mentions  (see  Judaism,  p.  306)  a  law  probably  by  Domitian,  that  a  slave, 
by  giving  up  claim  to  freedom,  could  demand  sale  and  thus  change  his 
master. 

^  "  Are  you  called  being  a  bondman,  do  not  feel  concerned,  but,  more- 
over, if  yon  can  become  free  prefer  to  serve."  — 1  Cor.  7,  n.  The  con- 
clusion admits  an  opposite  translation,  —  "  Avail  yourself  of  the  opportun- 
ity." "Bondmen,  be  obedient  to  them  that  are  your  masters  according 
to  the  flesh,  with  fear  and  trembling,  in  singleness  of  your  heart,  as  unto 
Christ."  —  Epbes.  6,  5.  "Bondmen,  obey  in  all  things  your  masters 
according  to  the  flesh  ;  not  with  eye-service,  as  men-pleasers  ;  but  in 
.singleness  of  heart,  fearing  God." — Coloss.  3,  '22.  "Masters,  give 
unto  your  bondmen  that  which  is  just  and  equal  ;  knowing  that  you 
al.so  have  a  Master  in  heaven."  —  Coloss.  4,  l.  "  Let  as  many  bond- 
men as  are  under  the  yoke  count  their  own  masters  worthy  of  all  honor, 
that  the  name  of  God  and  his  doctrine  be  not  blasydiemed."  —  1  Tim. 
6,  I.  "Exhort  bondmen  to  be  obedient  unto  their  own  masters,  and 
to  please  them  well  in  all  things  ;  not  answering  again."  —  Titus  2, '.). 
The  Epistle  to  Philemon  was  specially  written  with  reference  (see  verses 
1(1- 21)  to  the  bondman  who  curried  it.  "Slaves  of  the  household,  be 
subject  to  your  masters  witli  all  fear  ;  not  only  to  the  good  and  gentle, 
but  also  to  the  froward."  —  1  Peter  2,  18. 

In  the  foregoing  the  word  translated  bondman  usually  designates  one 
who  is  so  born. 


§  3.]  TWO   WARS.  65 

ing  down  rules  for  the  relation  between  master  and  slave, 
or  as  teaching  specially  either  the  permissibility  or  the 
wrongfulness  of  slavery.  Three  times  in  them  we  find 
the  recorded  mention  of  a  born  bondman  or  bondmen, 
8ouAo5,  SouAot,^  but  no  mention  oi",  or  allusion  to,  aiSpdiroBov, 
one  who  has  been  made  a  slave,  large  as  was  this  un- 
happy class  among  heathens. 

§  3.  Two  JVars. 

In  the  history  of  Judea  during  the  first  and  second 
centuries  we  find  two  wars,  one  beginning  in  the  reign 
of  Nero,  and  the  other  in  that  of  Hadrian,  which  could 
scarcely  have  escaped  mention  in  the  Gospels  if  these 
had  been  fabrications  or  accretions  during  this  period. 
No  gift  was  more  lauded  by  public  opinion  than  tlie 
capacity  of  foretelling  future  events,  and  persons  in  pre- 
paring a  fictitious  narrative  would  almost  assuredly  have 
put  into  the  mouth  of  Jesus  predictions  as  to  the  course 
and  termination  of  both  contests.  In  the  former  of  these 
wars  the  temple  was  destroyed.^  Immediately  before,  or 
during,  the  latter  a  temple  of  Jupiter  Capitoliuus  was 
placed  on  its  site.^° 

^  Jesus  is  represented  as  curing  the  bondman  of  a  centurion.  Matt. 
8,  .')-l.'5.  Compare  Luke  7,  2-10.  A  nobleman  is  represented  as  being 
told  by  his  bondmen  that  his  son  had  recovered.  John  4,  51.  Two 
bondmen  of  the  high  priest  are  also  mentioned.  John  18,  10,  C(J.  Com- 
pare Matt.  26,  .-)1,  Mark  14,  it,  Luke  22,  .-)0. 

^  According  to  Josephus  {Wars,  6,  4,  .">),  it  was  burned,  the  burning 
being  due  to  the  unauthorized  act  of  an  individual  soldier  contrary  to 
the  will  of  Titus.  According  to  Orosius,  7,  n  (cited  in  Ch.  IX.  note  2), 
Titus  had  it  destroyed  after  being  declared  emperor  by  the  army. 
Any  such  declaration  —  placing  him  in  antagonism  to  his  father — must 
have  come  from  the  patrician  element,  whicli  was  to  be  found  more  among 
the  officers  than  among  the  soldiers.  A  .statement  by  Josephus  {Wars, 
6,  4,  7)  that  Titus  with  his  officers  entered  the  Holy  of  Holies,  accords 
best  with  the  last-mentioned  narrative.  Titus,  even  if  reluctant  to 
destroy  the  temple,  was  easily  swayed  by  patricians,  so  as  usually  to 
become  their  tool.  Compare  Sibyl.  Orac.  1,  393,  394,  quoted  in  Appen- 
di.\',  Note  J. 

i<>  See  Judaism,  pp.  325,  326. 


66  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.         [cH.  VIII. 

§  4.  Philosophy. 

In  the  Greek-speaking  countries  where  Judaism  had 
preceded  Christianity,  the  term  Philosophy  frequently 
designated  love  of  moral  wisdom,  a  use  of  the  term 
which  was  carried  by  the  Stoics  and  their  disciples  into 
Europe.-^^  The  same  term  was  used  for  mental  specula- 
tions of  various  kinds. 

In  the  former  of  these  significations  Clement  of  Alex- 
andria doubtless  uses  it  when  he  speaks  of  Philoso- 
pliy  as  a  schoolmaster,^^  preparing  the  Greeks  as  the 
Law  did  the  Jews  for  Christianity.  The  different  senses 
of  the  word  were  often  confused  by  undiscriminating 
minds. 

Christians  were  divided  in  their  views  as  to  the  origin 
of  Philosophy.  Some  thought  that  it  came  from  the 
Devil ;  others  that  it  came  from  the  Deity.^^     The  respec- 

1^  See  Judaism,  p.  49  n. 

12  '« ^y-g  should  not  err  in  saying  that  Philoso]ihy  was  given  to  the 
Greeks,  especially  as  a  'Testament'  [or  'covenant']  of  their  own,  it 
being  a  basis  of  the  philosophy  which  is  according  to  Christ."  —  Clem. 
Alex.  Strom.  6,  67  ;  0pp.  3, 138.  Clement  quotes  as  words  of  the  Deity 
the  passage  (Jer.  31,  ;il,  32  ;  Heb.  8,  8,  9)  :  "  '  /  appoint  you  a  new  cove- 
nant \t.eslament\  not  as  I  appointed  to  your  fathers  in  Mount  Horeb.^  He 
appointed  a  new  one  to  you  [Christians],  since  those  of  the  Greeks  and 
Jews  were  antiquated."  —  Strom.  6,  41  ;  0pp.  3,  122.  "Justly  there- 
fore the  Law  [was  given]  to  the  Jews  but  Philosophy  to  the  Greeks  until 
the  coming  [of  Christ]." —  <S'<rom.  6,  ir>9  ;  OpjJ.  3,  198. 

"  Those  who  proclaim  the  atheism  of  Epicurus  and  pleasure  [as  life's 
object],  and  whatever  else  contrary  to  true  teaching  has  been  sowed  iu 
Grecian  philosophy,  are  spurious  fruits  of  an  agriculture  divinely  given 
to  the  Greeks."  —  Strom.  6,  07,  {al.  8)  ;  0pp.  p.  774. 

13  "  Let  those  who  say  that  Philosophj' proceeds  from  the  Devil  under- 
stand what  the  Scripture  says,  that  the  Devil  transforms  himself  into  an 
angel  of  light.  .  .  .  But  if  he  teaches  as  an  angel  of  light,  bespeaks  what 
is  true."  —  Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  6,  <)6  ;  0pp.  p.  773.  "Those  who  say 
that  Philosophy  is  not  from  God  incur  danger. "  — ^^ro?H.  6, 15G ;  0pp. 
p.  321.  "  Greek  Pliilosophy,  as  some  [think],  is  accidentally,  somehow, 
possessed  of  the  truth  faintly  and  imperfectly,  and  as  others  will  have  it, 
is  prompted  by  the  Devil."  —  Strom.  1,  80  ;  0pp.  p.  366.  "Some  think 
that  from  an  evil  man  [or  the  evil  one]  Philosophy  has  crept  into  life  for 
the  ruin  of  men."  —  Strom.  1,  IS  ;  0pp.  p.  326,  Potter's  edition. 


§  4.]  PHILOSOPHY.  67 

tive  antiquity  of  Jewish  and  heathen  views  mingled  with 
this  debate.  Greek  Philosophy  was  alleged  to  have  been 
pirated  from  Judaism.^'*  Much  of  the  dis]Hite  as  to 
whether  this  Philosophy  came  from  God  or  the  Devil 
may  have  been  due  to  difference  in  the  disputants  as  to 
the  kind  of  teaching  which  they  intended  to  designate. 

We  find  allusions  to  philosophy  in  the  Apostolic  ^^  and 
early  Christian  writings,^^  but  not  in  the  Gospels.     Jesus 

1*  "  All  things  concerning  immortality  of  the  soul  or  punishment  after 
death  .  .  .  which  Philosophers  and  poets  spoke  they  were  enabled  to 
vinderstand  by  taking  their  leading  ideas  from  the  Prophets."  —  Justin 
Martyr,  Apol.  1,  ii.  "  The  poets  and  philosophers  stole  from  the  Sa- 
cred Scriptures."  —  Theophilus,  ad  Aidol.  1,  14.  "They  [the  heathen 
writers]  uttered  what  accords  with  the  Prophets,  though  they  were 
much  later  and  stole  these  things  from  the  Law  and  the  Prophets."  — 
Ad  Autol.  2,  37.  "  Moses  is  manifestly  older  than  the  aforesaid  old 
heroes,  wars,  demons,  and  we  should  trust  the  older  rather  than  those 
Greeks  who  have  from  his  fountain  unintelli^ently  drawn  his  teachings." 
—  Tatian,  Orat.  40.  "For  they  [your  teachers]  were  necessitated  by 
the  divine  foreknowledge  of  the  [prophetic]  men  to  speak  though  unwill- 
ingly concerning  us,  especially  those  who  had  been  in  Egypt  and  been 
profited  by  the  monotheism  of  Moses  and  his  ancestors."  — Cohort,  ad 
Graecos,  14.  Clement  says  :  "  We  may  show  that  the  Hebrew  Philos- 
ophy is  older  by  many  generations  [than  the  Greek]."  —  Strom.  1,  G4  ; 
0pp.  p.  353.  "  Philo,  the  Pythagorean,  shows  that  of  all  these  [previously 
mentioned]  the  Jewish  race  is  by  much  the  oldest,  and  written  Philoso- 
phy among  them  much  preceded  that  of  the  Greeks."  —  Strom.  1,  72  ; 
0pp.  p.  360.  "  Of  these  things  the  Greek  Philosophers  were  the  steal- 
ers and  plunderers,  taking  before  the  Lord's  coming  from  the  Hebrew 
Prophets  part  of  the  truth,  not  intelligently."  —  Strom.  1,  87;  0pp. 
p.  369.  "  Concerning  the  tenets  of  Philosoi)hers  having  been  cunningly 
put  together  from  those  of  the  Hebrews,  we  shall,  after  a  little,  treat 
in  detail,  but  now  must  speak  of  the  times  after  Moses,  through  which 
will  be  shown  beyond  question  that  of  all  wisdom  the  Hebrew  Philosophy 
is  the  oldest."  —  Strom.  1,  ini  ;  O;?;?.  p.  378,  Potter's  edition. 

15  "  The  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom."  —  1  Cor.  1,  '22.  "  Then  certain 
philosophers  of  the  Epicureans,  and  of  the  Stoics,  encountered  him."  — 
Acts  17,  18. 

16  Justin  Martyr  wore  a  philosopher's  cloak,  and,  on  the  title-page 
of  his  writings,  the  term  "philosopher  "  is  appended  to  his  name.  He 
tells  us  :  "Philosophy  is  in  reality  the  greatest  acquirement  and  most 


68  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  vni. 

is  nowhere  represented  as  saying  a  word  for  or  against  it. 
He  neither  commends  it  to  his  disciples  as  coming  from 
God  nor  cautions  them  against  it  as  an  invention  of  the 
Devil. 

Two  different  sects  of  philosophers  are  mentioned  by- 
name once  in  the  Apostolic, ^^  and,  with  others,  frequeutly 
in  early  Christian,  writings,^^  but  no  mention  of  them  by 
Jesus  is  found  in  the  Gospels. 

honored  by  God,  to  whom  it  alone  leads  and  unites  us."  — Dial.  2  ;  0pp. 
2,  p.  8  C.  "This  [predicted  Christian]  Philosophy  alone  I  found  safe 
and  profitable."  —  X'm?.  S  ;  0pp.  2,  p.  32  C.  edit.  Otto. 

"  Plato  thinks  that  there  are  Philosophers  among  Barbarians  [i.  e. 
non-Grecians],  but  Epicurus  conceives  that  only  Greeks  can  philoso- 
phize."—  Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  1,  (i7  ;  0pp.  p.  355.  "As  children  dread 
hobgoblins,  thus  the  multitude  dread  Grecian  Philosophy,  fearing  lest  it 
should  carry  them  off."  —  Strom.  6,  80  ;  0pp.  p.  780. 

"Tlie  authority  of  Physical  Philosophers  gives  protection  as  being  a 
possession  of  wisdom.  Truly  the  wisdom  of  pliilosophers  is  unadulter- 
ated, whose  weakness  is  in  the  first  place  attested  by  the  variety  of  their 
opinions  proceeding  from  their  ignorance  of  the  truth.  But  who  can  be 
wise  if  devoid  of  truth,  if  he  does  not  know  God,  the  Father  and  Lord 
of  wisdom  and  truth  ? "  —  Tertullian,  ad  Nat.  2,  2  ;  0pp.  p.  65  A. 
These  citations,  and  those  which  have  been  given  in  notes  12,  13,  14,  are 
but  a.  small  portion  of  what  appear  in  the  early  Christian  writers. 

IT  See  note  15. 

1*  The  names  of  one  or  more  of  the  Philosophic  sects.  Stoics,  Epicu- 
reans, Eleatics,  Platonics,  Peripatetics,  Pythagoreans,  and  others  appear 
in  Cohort,  ad  Grsecos,  4 ;  Just.  Mart.  u4pol.  1,  -20  (twice),  2,  7  (twice), 
Dial.  2  (five  times),  0pp.  1,  pp.  22  A,  180  C,  298  D  E,  300  A  B,  310  E, 
2,  8CEA,  lOBD;  Tatian,  Orat.  n  ;  Athenagoras,  Supplicat.  6,  in, 
22  (twice)  ;  Theophilus,  ad  Autol.  2,  i,  3,  5,  G ;  Clem.  Ale.v.  Protrept.  G6 
{al.  5  twice)  ;  Strom.  1,  .51,  62,  C3,  (M  {al.  11,  14  three  times),  2,  19,  34,  .54, 
101,  120,  i;J3  twice  {al.  4,  7,  12,  10,  21,  23  twice),  3,  24  (al.  3),  4,  lO,  29,  123 
twice  {al.  .5,  6,  19  twice),  5,  O,  .5l«,  50,  GO,  90,  0.3,  94,  0«,  08,  101,  100,  140 
{al.  1,  0  three  times,  14  eight  times),  6,  27,  13o  (al.  2,  !<;),  7,  .57,  8?  {al.  7, 
14),  8, 4,  10  twice  {al.  2,  4  twice),  Opp.  pp.  58  bis,  346,  352,  353  bis, 
438,  447,  458,  482,  497,  503  bis,  521,  572,  575,  618,  619,  649,  680  bis, 
681,  699,  701,  702,  703,  705,  708,  712,  732,  752,  811,  852,  886,  915, 
920  ;  Potter's  edition.  In  Origen,  there  are,  according  to  the  Inde.x  of 
de  la  Rue,  thirty-five  references  to  the  Stoics,  si.x  to  the  Epicureans, 
fifteen  to  the  Platonists,  and  sixteen  to  the  Pythagoreans.     The  works  of 


§  5.]  DRESS.  69 

§  5.  Dress. 

When  Cliristianity  spread  outside  of  Judea  it  came  in 
contact  with  Greek  and  Eoman  society  equally  as  with 
the  Jewish.  Wealthy  lieathens  were  often  addicted  to 
outside  display ,^^  and  this  tendency  was  not  held  in  check 
among  them,  as  among  Jews,  by  a  sense  of  responsi- 
bility to  God,  or  by  correct  views  as  to  the  object  of 
life.^'^  We  find  in  the  Apostolic  times  that  a  word  of 
caution  is  given  on  the  subject  of  Dress,  both  by  Paul  ^^ 
and  by  Peter^^  and  fuller  attention  is  given  to  it  by  Chris- 
tian authors  of  a  subsequent  date.''^^ 

Teitullian,  according  to  Semler's  Index,  mention  the  Stoics  five  times 
and  the  Epicureans  five  times. 

Besides  tlie  foregoing  the  leaders  or  disciples  of  the  different  philo- 
sophical sects  are  mentioned,  or  in  some  writers  quoted,  even  more  fre- 
quently than  the  sects  themselves.     Compare  note  53. 

1^  See  in  Judaism  (p.  455,  note  130)  the  remarks  of  Dio  Chrysostom. 
The  remarks  of  Dio  Cassius  (57,  ll)  cited  in  Judaism,  p.  509,  imply  that 
the  absence  of  display  commended  in  Tiberius  was  something  unusual. 

Pliny  Senior  mentions  (^Nat.  Hist.  33, 19,  .i)  that  he  stood  near  Agrip- 
pina  when  she  wore  a  cape  woven  of  gold  without  admixture  of  other 
material.  This  was  during  the  naval  battle  on  Lake  Fucinus  (Tacitus, 
An.  12,  5(;),  where  persons  obnoxious  to  the  party  in  power  were  com- 
pelled to  murder  each  other  for  the  gratification  of  their  enemies.  It  is 
little  to  Pliny's  credit,  considering  his  earlier  fiiendships  (see  remarks  on 
Pomponiusin  Judaism,  pp.  209-211),  that  he  should  have  been  present 
at  the  scene. 

20  The  term  heathens  must  not  be  understood  as  including  a  large  class 
of  Gentile  monotheists,  whose  sense  of  responsibility  to  God  and  whose 
views  of  life  may  sometimes  have  compared  favorably  with  those  of  their 
Jewish  brethren. 

21  "  In  like  manner  also,  that  women,  in  seemly  attire,  adorn  them- 
selves with  modesty  and  sobriety,  not  with  braided  hair,  and  gold,  or 
pearls,  or  costly  apparel ;  hut,  as  becometh  women  professing  monothe- 
ism, with  good  works."  —  1  Tim.  2,  9,  10,  Noijes'  trans,  altered. 

22  "  Whose  adorning,  let  it  not  be  the  outward  adorning  of  braiding 
the  hair,  and  of  wearing  golden  ornaments,  or  of  putting  on  apparel ; 
but  the  hidden  being  of  the  heart  in  the  imperishable  [adornment]  of  a 
nicfk  and  quiet  spirit  which  is  in  the  sight  of  God  a  costly  [adornment]." 
—  1  Peter  3,  3,  4,  Noyes  trans,  altered. 

^  Tertullian  wrote  two  works  concerning  woman's  dress,  and  one  on 


70  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [CH.  VIII. 

Had  Christians  outside  of  Judea  composed  the  Gos- 
pels from  their  own  conceptions  of  what  a  teacher  should 
say,  the  subject  of  Dress  would  scarcely  have  been  omit- 
ted. 

§  6.  Origin  of  Evil. 

This  subject  has  been  partly  anticipated  under  the  head 
of  Controversies.  An  opinion  among  Jews  outside  of 
Judea  was  that  the  world  had  grown  old,^  and  that  the 
diseases  of  age  were  upon  it.  Tliis  view  was  adopted  by 
the  Stoics.^^     The  Gnostics  laid  stress  upon  two  points  as 

the  wearing  of  veils  by  virgins.  Clement  of  Alexandria  "takes  oc- 
casion to  speak  of  the  proprieties  of  dress,  and  particularly  female  dress  ; 
and  enters  minutely  into  a  description  of  a  lady's  toilet.  He  condemns 
all  extravagance,  and  a  disposition  to  seek  '  the  rare  and  expensive  in 
preference  to  that  which  is  at  hand  and  of  low  price.'  He  will  not  allow 
ladies  to  wear  '  dyed  garments '  ;  but  he  insists  on  the  use  of  veils,  which 
must  not  be  purple  to  attract  the  gaze  of  men.  A  chapter  follows  on 
covering  for  the  feet,  as  sandals,  and  slippers  on  which  it  was  customary 
to  bestow  great  expense,  and  another,  on  ornaments  of  gold  and  precious 
stones.  On  this  subject,  it  seems,  the  ladies  of  Alexandria  did  not  un- 
resistingly submit.  They  ventured  to  argue  the  case  with  the  holy 
father.  'Why,' say  they,  'should  we  not  use  what  God  has  given? 
Why  should  we  not  take  pleasure  in  that  we  have  ?  For  whom  were 
precious  stones  intended,  if  not  for  us  ? '  This  was  bringing  the  argument 
home  :  but  Clement  found  means  to  reply,  by  pointing  out  the  distinc- 
tion between  what  is  necessary,  as  water  and  air,  and  lies  open  to  all  ; 
and  what  is  not  necessar}',  as  gold  and  pearls,  which  lie  concealed  beneath 
the  earth  and  water,  and  are  brought  up  by  criminals,  who  are  '  set  to 
dig  for  them.'  Other  arguments  he  employs.  But  the  advocates  for  the 
use  of  ornaments  rejoin,  '  If  all  are  to  select  the  common  and  frugal,  who 
is  to  possess  the  more  expensive  and  magnificent  ? '  To  this  Clement  re- 
plies, somewhat  obscurely  and  clumsily,  by  a  reference  to  what  it  may  be 
proper  for  men  to  use,  if  they  avoid  setting  too  high  a  value  on  it,  and 
contracting  too  great  a  fondness  for  it.  He  concludes  the  discussion  by 
objecting  to  particular  articles  of  female  ornament,  or  ornaments  of  a 
particular  form  ;  that  of  the  serpent,  for  example,  which  was  the  form 
tinder  which  Satan  tempted  Eve,  .and  therefore  to  be  abjured." — Lamson, 
Church  of  the  First  Three  Centuries,  pp.  137,  138. 

2*  See  Ch.  II.  note  30. 

*  See  Jicdaism,  note  on  pp.  56,  57. 


§  T.]  SIBYLLA,   BACIS,   HYSTASPES.  7X 

causing  imperfection  in  the  world,  namely,  that  self- 
existent  matter,  from  which  it  was  made,  was  imperfect, 
and  that  the  Jewish  God  who  made  tlie  world  was  but  an 
imperfect  being.^^  The  mass  of  Christians  held  that  the 
heathen  deities,  who  had  in  some  way  obtained  control 
of  the  world,  were  (see  Ch.  III.  §  1)  chief  authors  of  its 
evils.  Several  other  explanations  had  more  or  less  cur- 
rency.^^ 

In  the  Gospels  Jesus  is  not  represented  as  trying  to 
solve  this  problem  for  his  followers. 

§  7.  Sibylla,  Bacis,  Hystaspcs. 

Before  the  Christian  era  a  document  in  the  name  of 
Sibylla  had  been  fabricated  by  a  Jew.^^  It  and  subse- 
quent documents  under  the  same  name  were  used  by  the 
popular  party  at  Kome  in  their  contests  with  the  aristoc- 
racy. Some  Christians  also  used  them  very  freely,  so  as 
to  bring  on  themselves  the  epithet  "  Sibyllists."  ^^ 

2®  "  Of  this  problem  [the  existence  of  evil]  the  solution  peculiar  to  the 
Gnostics  was  twofold.  .  .  .  They  taught,  en  the  one  hand,  that  the 
Creator  was  an  inferior  and  imperfect  being,  and,  on  the  other,  that  evil 
was  inherent  in  matter." —  Norton,  Genuineness,  Vol.  3,  p.  5,  1st  edit. 
On  the  subject  of  evil  as  inherent  in  matter,  a  passage  of  Paul  may  be 
compared  :  "I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection  :  lest 
that  by  any  means  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a 
castaway."  —  1  Cor.  9,  27. 

2'  Theophilus  {ad  Autol.  2,  17  ;  0pp.  p.  106  B)  maintains  that  beasts 
originally  were  not  destnictive.  "  For  nothing  evil  originated  from  God, 
but  all  things  were  excellent,  exceedingly  so."  He  argues  that  if  the 
head  of  a  household  do  right  or  wrong,  his  domestics  will  imitate  him  ; 
that  when  man,  the  lord  of  the  earth,  sinned,  his  slaves  (that  is,  the  ani- 
mal creation)  followed  his  example.  "  When,  therefore,  man  shall  as- 
cend to  what  befits  his  nature,  no  longer  doing  evil,  they  also  will  be 
restored  to  their  original  mildness." 

'^  See  Judaism,  Appendix,  Note  A,  §  2,  and  compare  in  the  present 
work  p.  19. 

'■®  This  epithet  is  used  by  Celsus  (Origen,  cont.  Cels.  5,  61)  and  com- 
plained of  by  Origen,  who  says  that  Christians  making  such  use  of  the 
Sibylline  WTitings  were  blamed  by  some  of  their  fellow-Christians  for  so 
doing. 


72  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [CH.  VIII. 

A  composition  frequently  mentioned  with  Sibylla  was 
named  Bacis.  It  was  probably  moral  rather  than  theo- 
logical.^^ 

Another  document  also  mentioned  usually  in  connec- 
tion with  Sibylla  was  Hystaspes.^^  It  may  have  been 
of  Stoic  origin,  interpolated  by  a  Christian.  It  was  pre- 
dictive in  character. 

The  Gospels  contain  no  allusion  to,  or  use  of,  these 
documents. 

§  8.  Prediction  and  Inspiration. 

The  Jewish  view  of  Inspiration,  though  not  excluding 
the  idea  of  Prediction,  gave  prominence  to  the  idea  of 
moral  teaching  under  the  intluence  of  or  by  authorization 
from  God,  a  view  transmitted  to  not  a  few  Christians.^ 

The  heathen  view  had  no  connection  with  moral  teach- 
ing. It  regarded  the  inspired  person  as  for  the  time  be- 
ing insaiie,"^'^  and  unguided  by  any  operation  of  his  or  her 
mind,  but  controlled  wholly  by  a  divine  power.  The  only 
object  of  this  inspiration  was  in  heathen  eyes  the  predic- 
tion of  future  events. 

Some  Christians  seem  to  have  taken  in  large  degree  the 
heathen  view  of  Inspiration  ^* 

This  view  nowhere  appears  in  the  Gospels. 

^  See  Judaism,  pp.  454  -  459. 

^1  See  Judaism,  pp.  459,  460. 

'^2  "The  men  of  God  filled  with  holy  .spirit  and  becoming  irpo(pqTa, 
public  teachere,  being  inspired  by  God  himself  and  rendered  wise,  be- 
came God-instructed  and  holy  and  just.  AVherefore  tliey  were  thought 
worthy  to  receive  in  return  this  reward,  [namely,]  that  of  becoming 
instruments  of  God,  and  possessed  of  the  wisdom  which  is  from  him, 
through  which  wisdom  they  uttered  what  pertained  to  the  creation  of  the 
world  and  all  other  things,  for  they  predicted  pestilence  and  famines  and 
wars.  Not  one  [merely]  or  two,  but  several  exi.sted  at  different  times  and 
seasons  among  the  Hebrews,  but  also  Sibylla  among  the  Greeks.  .  .  . 
And  first  they  taught  with  one  accord  that  [God]  made  all  things  out  of 
nothing."  —  Theophilus,  ad  Autol.  2,  i),  10. 

^  See  Judaism,  p.  415,  note  52. 

^  Athenagoras,  addressing  the  Emperor  Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus 


§  9.]  SPURIOUS   CONVERTS.  73 

§  9,   Spurious  Converts. 

In  Apostolic  times  we  find  allusion  to  converts  who 
did  little  credit  to  the  Christianity  which  they  professed.^ 

and  his  son,  says  :  "  You,  who  exceed  others  in  understanding  and  piety 
as  regards  what  is  truly  divine  {or  the  true  divinity),  would  pronounce 
it  unreasonable  [that  we],  giving  up  belief  in  the  spirit  of  God  which 
moved  the  mouths  of  the  prophets  as  its  instruments,  should  attend  to 
human  teaching."  —  Supplicat.  7.  "I  think  that  you,  being  especial 
lovers  of  learning  and  highly  gifted  with  understanding,  are  not  unac- 
quainted with  the  [writings]  of  Moses,  or  of  Isaiah,  or  of  Jeremiah,  or  of 
the  other  prophets,  who,  being  out  of  their  senses,  under  impulse  of 
the  Divine  Spirit  uttered  what  was  instilled  into  them,  the  Divine  Spirit 
using  [them]  as  a  flute-player  a  flute."  —  Supplicat.  9. 

Justin  at  an  earlier  date  seems  to  teach  the  same  view  in  his  Dialogue, 
ch.  115  ;  0pp.  2,  p.  382  B,  edit.  Otto. 

"  A  man  who  is  in  the  spirit,  especially  when  he  sees  the  glory  of  God 
or  speaks  with  God,  must  of  necessity  be  out  of  his  senses,  being  over- 
shadowed  by  Divine  power,  concerning  which  [point]  is  the  dispute  be- 
tween us  and  the  ^wyf-'/t'cos  non-spiritual."  —  Tertullian,  adv.  jVarcion. 
4,  '22.  He  had  in  the  preceding  sentence  identified  ecstasy  (the  condition 
of  the  prophet)  with  amentia,  which,  as  used  by  him,  meant  temporary 
insanity. 

^  See  1  Cor.  5,  1,  11, 13  ;  6,  8.  2  Peter  2,  13-15.  I  also  understand 
Paul  as  referring  in  the  following  passage  to  morally  unworthy  converts, 
who  for  their  own  purposes  misapplied  his  doctrine  of  exemption  from 
the  Mosaic  (ritual)  Law.  "A  pillar  and  basis  of  the  truth  and  con- 
fessedly grand  is  the  secret  of  practical-monotheism,  —  which  has  been 
manifested  in  human  lives,  attested  by  miraculous  power  in  the  most  jmb- 
lic  manner  "  (more  literally,  in  the  sight  of  angels,  or,  to  use  a  modern 
expression,  in  the  sight  of  heaven),  "has  been  proclaimed  among  the 
Gentiles,  has  found  credence  in  the  world  and  been  honorably  accepted, 
—  but  the  Spirit  expressly  says  that  in  the  last  times  some  will  fall  away 
from  the  faith,  adhering  to  deceitful  spirits,  and  to  teachings  of  heathen- 
ized men,  hypocritically  false,  cauterized  in  their  conscience."  —  1  Tim. 
3,  15  ;  4,  2.  On  the  persons  whom  Paul  had  specially  in  view  compare 
Judaism,  p.  250. 

A  Jew,  or  Judaizer,  could  boast  that  he  carried  in  his  flesh  the  evidence 
of  his  practical-monotheism.  Paul  probably  had  this  in  mind  when  he 
speaks  of  his  practical-monotheism  as  manifested  in  the  flesh,  that  is,  in 
the  lives  of  those  who  professed  it. 


74  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OF  HISTORY.         [cH.  Vlll. 

In  the  second  century  we  find  that  persons  deemed 
imworthy  were  debarred  from  the  Lord's  Supper.^  At  a 
later  date  church  discipline  became  more  systematic,  and 
had  numerous  details  lor  those  subjected  to  it. 

In  the  Gospels  the  Master  gives  no  specific  direction 
for  dealing  with  nominal  though  unworthy  followers. 

§  10.    Chronology  and  Divisions  of  Time. 

The  Romans  counted  time  by  the  annual  consulships. 
The  Greeks,  scattered  in  different  localities,  counted  it 
in  a  variety  of  ways.  We  find  that  Josephus  uses  the 
Macedonian  months  ^''  in  giving  the  date  at  which  various 
events  happened. 

Had  the  Gospels  been  partly  or  wholly  fictitious  and 
grown  up  outside  of  Judea,  it  seems  morally  impossible 
that  their  composers  should  not  have  inserted  some  Greek 
or  Eoman  divisions  of  time,  as  a  means  for  increasing  cre- 
dence for  their  work.  We  find,  however,  no  allusion  to 
the  Greek  divisions  of  time,  though  Christianity  during 
the  first  two  centuries  found  the  larger  part  of  its  con- 
verts from  among  Greeks  ;  nor  do  we  find  the  most  accus- 
tomed Eoman  chronology.  Luke,  a  physician  of  Syria, 
mentions  a  taxation  as  commencing  when  Cyrenius  was 
governor  of  that  province,^  and  states  that  John  began  to 
preach  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius.^^ 

^  See  citations  from  Justin  MartjT,  Apol.  1,  Gfi,  in  Ch.  IV.  note  16. 

'^  See  Judaism,  p.  555. 

^  Luke  2,  2.  The  mention  of  Cyrenius  seems  natural  enough  in  a 
Syrian  who  had  either  lived  under  the  administration  of  that  governor  or 
else  associated  with  others  who  had.  Such  mention  would  have  been  un- 
likely a  century  later,  for  at  that  date  it  would  have  conveyed  a  fixed 
idea  of  time  to  no  one  outside  of  Sjrria,  and  to  very  few  inside  of  it. 

8^  Luke  3,  1,  2.  In  the  divisions  of  provinces  between  emperor  and 
senate  (see  Judaisin,  pp.  83  -  85)  Syria  was  one  of  the  provinces  under 
control  of  the  emperor.  It  was  natural  that  those  who  were,  as  the  in- 
habitants of  Syria,  more  immediately  subject  to  the  emperor  than  to  the 
senate,  should  sometimes  fix  dates  by  the  year  of  the  emperor  under 
whom  they  had  lived.  Had  the  Gospels  grown  up  in  Asia  Minor  or  in 
any  senatorial  province,  such  record  of  time  would  be  unlikely. 


§11.]  DISUSE   OF   WORDS   JESUS   AND   CHRIST.  75 

§  11.    Temporary  Disuse  of  the  Words  Jesus  and  Christ 
in  Controversy  with  Heathens. 

About  the  time  of  Marcus  Antoninus  works  were  writ- 
ten in  defence  of  Christianity  by  Tatian,  Athenagoras, 
and  Theophilus.  In  these  defences  of  Christianity  neither 
the  name  Jesus  nor  the  word  Christ  can  be  found.  Any 
decision  as  to  the  cause  of  this  should  be  preceded  by 
attention  to  at  least  three  different  circumstances. 

The  word  Logos  had  been  used  by  some  Jews  *''  cen- 
turies before  the  Christian  era,  somewhat  as  we  at  the 
present  day  use  the  term  Providence.  It  designated  the 
agency  of  the  Deity  even  when  he  was  not  specially 
named.  Sometimes  this  agency  was  vividly  personified. 
Stoics  borrowed  the  term  *i  and  there  may  have  been  in 
the  Stoic  emperor,  Marcus  Antoninus,  or  in  his  surround- 
ings, something  which  stimulated  its  use  as  a  dignified 
title  for  Jesus.*^ 

Again :  It  is  possible  that  Celsus  or  some  other  hea- 
then may  have  already  ridiculed  the  personal  appearance 
of  Jesus,^^  and  on  this  account  Christian  controversialists 
may  have  sought  a-  term  not  associated  with  the  human 
body. 

Again  :  The  party  in  power,  during  the  reign  in  ques- 
tion, was  strongly  reactionary  and  laid  great  stress  on 
ancient  usage.  In  meeting  this  tendency  Christians  may 
have  wished  to  represent  the  teacher  of  their  religion  as 
more  ancient  than  anything  which  heathenism  could 
boast.  In  doing  this  they  were  tempted  to  ignore  him 
who  had  lived  less  than  two  centuries  previously,  and  to 
personify  a  teacher  older  than  mankind. 

If  we  now  turn  to  the  Gospels  we  find  in  one  of  them 

<°  See  Judaism,  p.  358. 

*^  See  Judaism,  p.  50. 

*2  The  term  Logos  was  introduced  by  Justin  at  a  somewhat  earlier 
date.  One  of  his  objects  must  have  been  to  dignify  Jesus.  He,  however, 
did  not  carry  it  to  the  extent  of  shunning  to  use  the  word  Jesus  or  the 
word  Christ. 

«  See  Ch.  III.  §  14. 


76  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.         [cH.  Vlll. 

a  preliminary  statement**  concerning  the  Logos  which 
has  been  understood  in  opposite  senses,  as  aitirming  or 
as  denying  the  separate  existence  of  the  Logos.  There 
is,  however,  in  John's  Gospel  equally  as  in  the  others,  no 
efibrt  to  avoid  using  the  word  Jesus  or  the  word  Christ. 
Had  any  of  tiie  Gospels  been  in  process  of  formation  dur- 
ing this  period,  the  word  Logos  would  have  replaced  the 
more  usual  terms  for  the  Savior.  The  argument  applies 
only  to  a  limited  period  of  time. 

§  12.    Natural  Science. 

European  heathens,  in  discussing  theological  questions, 
such  as  the  nature  or  character  of  the  Divine  Being  and 
the  future  life,  mingled  into  their  discussions  matters  of 
natural  science.  The  probable  explanation  of  tiiis  is  that 
they  found  in  the  Greek  teaching  of  partly  monotheized 
lands  views  of  theology  and  natural  science  w'hich  were 
new  to  them  and  which  they  associated.  In  Plato's  trea- 
tise on  the  immortality  of  the  soul  the  earth  is  mentioned 
as  a  sphere;*^  an  explanation  of  volcanoes  is  given,  and 
a  statement  is  made  touching  water,  which  implies  that 
the  doctrine  of  gravitation  had  been  dimly  if  not  clearly 
reached.*^ 

In  Cicero's  w^ork  on  Divination  we  find  mentioned  the 
order  of  the  planets.  It  is  stated  that  Venus  and  Mer- 
cury were  between  the  earth  and  the  sun,  while  the  oth- 
ers were  more  remote.*^ 

"  John  1,  1. 

*5  riuedo,  132  ;  0pp.  edit.  Ast.  1,  p.  596  E.  The  spherical  form  of 
the  earth  seems  to  have  been  inferred  (see  Dio  Cass.  60,  20)  from  the 
shadow  which  it  cast  on  the  moon  during  eclipses  of  the  latter.  Dio 
speaks  of  the  shadow  as  conical.  He  probably  deemed  the  sun  the  base 
of  said  cone,  and  therefore  much  larger  than  the  earth. 

*6  Phoido,  I3i)-l4i  ;  0pp.  edit.  Ast.  1,  pp.  602  606.  Plato  alleges 
that  the  waters  flow  down  into  the  earth  on  either  [every  ?]  side  as  far  as 
the  middle,  but  that  the  opposite  side  (606  E)  would  be  "uphill."  He 
talks,  however,  like  a  man  retailing  ideas  to  which  he  had  listened  and 
which  he  but  imperfectly  comprehended. 

*^  De  Divbuit.  2,  '.U,  al.  iX     Compare  2,  10,  al.  3,  and  HG,  al.  71. 


§  12.]  NATURAL   SCIENCE.  77 

Seneca,  the  Stoic,  belonged  to  a  sect  whose  views  were 
borrowed  ahnost  entirely  from  these  monotlieized  lands. 
In  his  writings  the  revolution  of  the  earth  on  its  axis  is 
stated  as  a  theory  held  by  several.^^ 

]\Iarcion,  the  Gnostic,  interwove  with  his  system  the 
belief  in  three  heavens,**^  which  seems  to  have  prevailed 
in  Asia  Minor. 

In  the  Ascension  of  Isaiah  we  find  mention  of  seven 
heavens,  the  system  adopted  by  the  Greeks  in  Egypt."*^ 
Clement  of  Alexandria  seems  to  have  shared  this  view.^^ 

The  Valentinian  Gnostics  interwove  into  their  system 
the  seven  heavens  already  mentioned,  and  superadded 
a  Pleroma,  which  was  doubtless  the  supposed  sphere  of 
tlie  fixed  stars,  —  a  sphere  which  we  find  mentioned  in 
Cicero.^^ 

The  Gospels  put  into  the  mouth  of  Jesus  no  word  on 
the  subject  of  natural  science.  It  is  at  least  probable,  if 
they  had  been  fabricated  from  the  fancy  of  his  followers, 
that  some  one  would  have  endeavored  to  make  him  seem 
wise  in  the  pathway  of  natural  science. 


*^  Seneca  raises  the  question  "  whether  the  universe  revolves,  the 
earth  being  quiescent,  or  whether  the  earth  revolves,  the  universe  being 
quiescent.  For  there  have  been  those  who  said  that  we  [on  earth]  were 
the  ones  whom,  unconsciously  to  ourselves,  the  order  of  nature  carries 
around,  and  that  rising  and  setting  is  not  caused  by  motion  of  the 
lieaven."  —  Nat.  Quccst.  7,  ?. 

^^  Tertullian,  adv.  Marcion,  1,  14,  cited  in  Under wor hi  Mission,  §  XXI. 
note  12.  I  surmise  that  one  heaven  was  assigned  to  the  moon,  one  to 
the  sun,  and  a  third  to  the  stars. 

^^  The  sun,  moon,  and  five  then  known  planets  were  each  regarded  as 
occupying  a  distinct  heaven. 

51  See  Underworld  Mission,  §  XXI.  3. 

5-  De  Jlcpub.  6,  10  ;  Somn.  Scip.  1.  The  latter  of  these  documents  is 
in  Greek,  the  former  in  Latin.  One,  however,  is  a  mere  duplicate  or 
translation  of  the  other.  The  document  in  Greek  contains  (see  Jadaisni^ 
Ch.  VII.  note  23)  a  number  of  expressions  technical  in  Jewish  theology 
ajid  obviously  borrowed  from  Judaism. 


78  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  VIII. 

§  13.    Literary  Heathens. 

Certain  literary  characters  among  the  heathens,  such 
as  Plato,  Homer,  and  others,  are  discussed,  some  of  them 
copiously,  by  Cliristians^  in  the  second  and  third  quar- 
ters of  the  second  century.  Had  the  Gospels  been  at 
that  date  in  process  of  formation,  some  criticism  upon 
these  heathen  writers  would  almost  inevitably  have  been 
put  into  the  Master's  mouth. 

§  14.    Persecutions. 

Any  remarks  of  Jesus  ^*  on  the  subject  of  persecution 
are  far  less  full  than  they  would  have  been  made  by  his 
followers  in  the  second  century. 


^  The  references  to  Plato  in  the  Indexes  of  various  authors  are  as 
follows  :  In  Justin  Martyr,  forty-five  ;  in  Clement  of  Alexandria,  ninety- 
three  ;  in  Tatian,  three  ;  in  Athenagoras,  ten  ;  in  Theophilus,  thirteen  ; 
in  Vol.  1  of  de  la  Rue's  Origen,  sixty -three,  and  in  Vol.  4,  twenty-five  ; 
in  Irenaeus,  four. 

The  references  to  Homer  are  :  In  Justin  MartjT,  eighteen  ;  in  Tatian, 
five  ;  in  Athenagoras,  five  ;  in  Theophilus,  six  ;  in  Irenfeus,  nine ;  in 
Clement  of  Alexandria,  fifty-six  ;  in  Vol.  1  of  de  la  Rue's  Origen,  eleven, 
and  in  Vol.  4,  one. 

54  "  You  will  be  hated  by  all  men  for  my  sake.  .  .  .  When  they  per- 
secute you  in  one  town,  fly  to  another  ;  and  if  they  drive  you  from  that 
town,  fly  to  yet  another."  — Matt.  10,  '22,  23.  "  They  will  lay  hands  on 
you  and  persecute  you  ;  they  will  deliver  j'ou  over  to  .synagogues,  and 
put  you  in  prison,  and  bring  you  before  kings  and  governors  for  my 
sake."  —  Luke  21,  I2.  "If  they  have  persecuted  me,  they  will  perse- 
cute you  also."  —  John  15,  -20.  "  They  will  put  you  out  of  their  syna- 
gogues ;  nay,  the  hour  is  coming,  when  he  who  kills  j'ou  will  think  that 
he  is  ofl'ering  a  sacrifice  to  God."  —  John  16,  2,  Norton's  trans.  The 
disciples  would  as  yet  have  failed  to  comprehend  a  mission  to  the  Gen- 
tiles had  it  been  foretold  to  them. 


§  1.]  EMPERORS.  79 

CHAPTEK  IX. 

ROMAN   POLITICS. 

§  1.    Umpcrors. 

Had  the  Gospels  undergone  accretion  in  Italy  it  is 
almost  impossible  that  they  should  have  contained  no  al- 
lusions to  the  emperors  who  influenced  the  external  his- 
tory of  monotheism.  No  allusion,  however,  is  made  in 
them  to  any  emperor  whose  reign  began  later  than  the 
ministry  of  Jesus.  In  respect  to  some  of  the  emperors 
this  would  be  a  remarkable  fact  if  the  Gospels  were  not 
honest  efforts  to  record  the  life  of  Jesus  by  persons  con- 
versant with  wliat  tliey  narrated.  Two  of  the  emperors 
who  became  prominent  in  Christian  theology  have  al- 
ready been  mentioned.^  Others  became  prominent  in  the 
history  of  monotheism. 

Under  Titus,  who  had  been  left  by  his  father  in  com- 
mand of  the  army,  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  was  destroyed. 
This  must  have  been  done  by  advice  of  the  patrician  fac- 
tion, who  were  promyjting  him  to  rebellion  against  his 
father.  While  hesitating  to  rebel,  he  hesitated  to  destroy 
the  temple ;  when  he  decided  on  rebellion,  the  temple 
fell.'^  He  afterwards  assumed  a  crown  at  Alexandria, 
but  his  father  must  have  found  means  to  reclaim  him. 

1  See  Ch.  III.  §§  8,  9. 

2  Titus  "deliberated  long  whether  he  should  burn  [the  temple]  as 
being  an  incitement  to  enemies,  or  whetlier  he  should  preserve  it  as  a 
testimonial  of  victory.  .  .  .  Titus,  [on]  being  proclaimed  emperor  by  the 
army,  burned  and  pulled  down  the  temple  in  Jerusalem."  —  Orosius, 
7,  !) ;  O}}}}.  pp.  479,  480.  Josephus  states  ( JFars,  6,  4,  .5)  that  a  private 
soldier  set  the  building  on  fire,  contrary  to  the  will  of  Titus.  Tliis  state- 
ment was  probably  an  effort  to  shield  that  emperor  from  any  odium  in- 
curred by  the  transaction.  Josephus  sometimes  accommodates  himself  to 
patrician  likings  (compare  Judaism,  Ch.  V.  note  126,  with  Ch.  II.  note 
26),  and  they  not  infre(|uently,  after  carrying  their  point,  liked  to  throw 
the  odium  of  it  upon  others. 


80  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF    HISTORY.  [cH.  IX. 

The  only  allusion  in  the  Gospels  to  destruction  of  the 
temple  ^  is  accompanied  by  the  remark,  "  Of  that  day  and 
hour  knoweth  no  man  .  .  .  neither  the  Son,  but  the 
Father.*"  This  cannot  have  come  from  a  Clu'istian  anx- 
ious to  magnify  his  Master's  ibreknowledge. 

The  reign  of  Domitian,  under  whom,  though  perhaps 
contrary  to  his  will,  Monotheists  were  murdered  and  ex- 
pelled,®  would,  if  the  Gospels  were  fictions,  have  probably 
been  Ibretold. 

Iliulrian  would  hardly  liave  escaped  mention.  He  exe- 
cuted some  of  tlie  aiistocracy,  and,  as  a  nuitter  of  course, 
Mas  deemed  unfaithful  to  heathenism  and  to  its  deities. 
In  order  to  regain  standing  as  an  orthodox  heathen,  he 
thouglit  it  necessary  to  commit  the  folly  of  strip])ing 
himself  to  nudity,  and  in  this  condition,  in  a  public  place, 
tugged  an  unfortunate  lamb  to  an  altar  on  which  he  sac- 
rificed it.  A  medal  is  still  extant  commemorating  the 
procedure."  He  carried  on  war  against  the  Jews,  but 
gave  some  protection  at  least  to  Christians. 

Trajan,  the  warrior,  wlio  preceded  Hadrian,  and  the 
Antonines  who  followed  him,  would  scarcely  have  es- 
caped mention. 

In  the  Sibylline  Oracles  we  find  all  these  emperors 
foretold.  In  P)Onk  5,11.  12-51,  tliey  are  described  seria- 
tim. In  Book  8,  11.  50-58,  mention  is  made  that  fifteen 
of  tliem  should  reign,  and  a  description  is  there  given  of 
Hadrian.  In  Book  12,  IL  13-223,  a  much  fuller  account 
of  the  emperors  from  Augustus  to  Coramodus  is  predicted, 
with  a  designation  of  Julius  Ciesar  as  dictator  prior  to 
Augustus. 


3  Matt.  24,  -2  ;  Mark  13,  ■.' ;  Luke  21,  0.  Tliese  passages  make  no 
allusion  to  any  destructinii  ])y  fire. 

*  Mark  13,  :!.'.  In  Matt.  24,  :•.(>,  it  reads  :  "  Of  that  day  and  hour 
knoweth  no  man,  no,  not  llie  angels  of  heaven,  but  my  Father  only." 
Compare  Sibyl.  Orao.  1,  3!)3-:!'.i.">,  quoted  in  Appendix,  Note  J. 

5  See  Judaism,  pp.  279  -  282. 

^  Orosius,  p.  489,  Leydeu  edit.     Compare  Judaism,  Ch.  VI.  note  34. 


§§  2,  3.]  CONTEST   WITH   GREEK   CULTURE.  81 

§  2.    Political  Personages. 

We  find  depicted  in  a  monotheistic  writing"  Agrippina, 
sister  of  one  emperor,  wife  of  another,  and  mother  of  an- 
other, who  for  a  time  ruled  her  husband  and  the  Iloman 
world.^  We  also  find  in  a  Christian  writer^  mention  of 
Capito,  the  most  prominent  of  patrician  lawyers,  the  head 
of  a  legal  school,  who  is  contrasted  with  the  lawgiver 
from  Judea. 

Had  any  accretion  to  the  Gospels  taken  place  in  Italy, 
these  and  other  political  personages  would  scarcely  have 
been  overlooked. 

§  3.    Contest  with  Greek  Culture. 

In  Italy  Greek  Culture  was  regarded  as  nearly  allied 
in  many  ways  to  monotheism  and  popular  rights,  and 
therefore  antagonistic  to  patrician  privileges.^^  The  be- 
lief in  an  incorporeal  God,  common  among  Jews  and 
Christians,  is  treated  by  Cicero  as  a  not  uncommon  opin- 
ion among  Greeks.^^  Jewish  and  Christian  views  on 
morality  were  largely  held  by  Greeks  in  the  lands  where 
monotheism  had  spread,  and  when  Greeks  from  these 
lands  came  into  Italy  they  brought  their  views  with  them. 

^  See  Sibylline  Oracles,  3,  75-80,  cited  in  Judaism,  pp.  139  -  140. 

*  Agrippina,  when  first  she  became  a  mother,  consulted  her  brother 
Caligula  touching  a  name  for  her  son.  He  jocosely  suggested  the  name 
of  their  half-witted  uncle  Claudius,  to  which  of  course  she  showed  be- 
coming repugnance.  In  later  life  she,  for  the  sake  of  power,  married 
this  weak-minded  uncle.  She  has  been  more  permanently  known  as  the 
mother  of  Nero.  Her  father  and  mother  had  each  of  them  headed  a 
rebellion  against  Tilierius.     See  Judaism,  pp.  186,  523. 

9  Clement  of  Alexandria  quotes  Isaiah  2,  s  :  "  Out  of  Zion  shall 
go  forlk  a  law.  .  .  .  This  my  upright  law  chants  .  .  .  not  the  law  of 
Capito  .  ,  .  but  the  eternal  law  of  the  new  harmony  named  from  God." 
—  Prolrept.  §  2  ;  0pp.  p.  3,  11.  l.')-22,  edit.  Potter. 

10  See  Judaism,  pp.  11-14,  367-371,  382-386. 

11  "  Dcum  .  .  .  ut  Grxci  dicunt,  do-w/taroi/. "  —  Cicero,  dc  Nat. 
Deonim,  1,  (1-2),  .'!n.  The  passage  is  a  criticism  on  Plato,  but  treats 
other  Greeks  as  using  this  phraseology. 


82  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY  OF  HISTORY.  [cH.  IX. 

It  is  plain  that  these  views  clashed  with  what  patricians 
deemed  to  be  their  interest.  Some  mention  of  this  col- 
lision has  been  elsewhere  made.^^ 

When  Augustus,  surrounded  by  the  aristocracy,  was 
condemning  one  after  another  to  death,  his  surrounders 
gave  the  leader  of  Greek  Culture  no  chance  of  speaking 
to  him.  Maecenas,  unable  to  break  through  them,  wrote 
on  a  card,  "  Up  at  length,  Butcher  ! "  ^^  and  threw  it  to 
him.  It  is  obvious  from  this  and  other  circumstances 
that  Miecenas  was  the  opponent  of  patriciauism. 

When  Virgil  wrote  to  please  the  leader  of  Greek  Cult- 
ure, he  selected  a  peaceful  topic,  Georgics  or  agriculture,^* 
but  when  he  wrote  for  Augustus  and  the  aristocracy,  his 
first  words  were,  "  I  sing  of  arms " ;  ^^  and  he  makes 
.^Eneas,  the  'practical-monotheist}^^  superintend  {^neid,  5, 
4lH,  461)  a  prize  fight. 

When  Domitian  spoke  for  the  anti-patrician  party,  he 
gave  point  to  his  condemnation  by  quoting  from  the  Geor- 
gics (2,  n37)  :  "  Before  an  impious  race  feasted  on  slaugh- 
tered bullocks."  ^^  When  Augustus,  under  patrician  influ- 
ence, was  striving  to  hinder  Greek  Culture,  and  wished 
to  punish  such  Eomans  as  wore  a  Greek  dress,  he  quoted 
the  JEneid  (1,  282)  :  Romanos  rerum  dominos  gcntcmquc 
togatam,  —  "Eomans,  masters  of  the  world,  and  a  togaed 
nation."  ^7 

The  efforts  to  drive  Greek  Culture  from  Eome  took 
place  always  in  the  reign  of  patriciauism. 

12  See  Mdaism,  Ch.  1.  §  4. 

13  Dio  Cass.  55,  7.     Augustus  thereupon  quitted  his  judicial  seat. 

1*  Georgics,  3,  41,  42.  The  article  on  Virgil  in  Smith's  Biographical 
Dictionary  treats  (p.  1264)  the  Georgics  as  "  the  most  finished  work  of 
Virgil,"  adding  "  that  his  fame  rests  in  a  great  degree  on  this  work."  — 
Possibly  any  extra  finish  given  to  it  may  have  been  aided  by  suggestions 
of  Maecenas. 

15  ^ncid,  1,  1.  15»  See  JxidaAsm,  pp.  417,  419. 

18  Suetonius,  Domit.  a  I  have  little  doubt  that  Virgil  was  copying, 
as  in  many  other  instances,  from  a  Jewish  document,  and  that  the  word 
impious  was  an  intended  translation  of  d(rej3^s,  a  word  which  in  Jewish 
Greek  means  unbeliever,  or  heathen.     See  Judaism,  p.  468. 

"  Suetonius,  Augicst.  40. 


SUMMARY   OF   ARGUMENT.  83 

Had  the  Gospels  grown  by  additions  in  Italy,  there  is 
at  least  a  probability  that  the  political  contlict  would  in 
some  way  have  become  apparent.  They  make  no  allusion, 
however,  to  the  writings,  leaders,  or  arguments  on  either 
side. 


CHAPTER  X. 

SUMMARY  OF  ARGUMENT. 


If  we  now  summarize  the  argument,  we  find  it  as 
follows :  — 

1.  Christian  authorship  of  the  Gospels  was  contrary  to 
the  controversial  wants  of  the  early  Christians,  and  so 
embarrassed  them  in  their  arguments  with  heathens  that 
it  is  morally  impossible  they  could  have  fictitiously  as- 
signed such  authorship  to  them. 

2.  Of  all  the  controversies  in  which  Christians  were 
engaged,  whether  between  themselves  or  against  Jews  or 
heathens,  not  a  trace  appears  in  the  Gospels. 

3.  Of  the  opinions  prominently  asserted  and  defended 
by  the  early  Christians,  or  by  particular  schools  among 
them,  and  which  they  rode  as  hobbies,  not  one  appears 
in  the  Gospels.  The  argument  is  strong  as  regards  any 
of  their  cherished  opinions,  and  is  intensely  strong  as 
regards  their  views  of  the  heathen  deities  and  Idolatry. 
The  very  object  which  early  controversialists  assigned  to 
the  Master's  ministry,  namely,  the  overthrow  of  these 
deities,  is  utterly  ignored  in  the  Gospels. 

4.  Of  the  customs  to  Avhich  the  early  Christians  at- 
tached importance,  or  to  which  they  were  wedded,  we 
find  nothing  in  the  Gospels,  except  the  baptismal  formula 
of  the  second  century. 

5.  The  peculiar  designations  for  God  used  by  Chris- 
tians in  heathen  lands  are  absent  from  tlie  Gospels. 

6.  So  are  the  terms  by  which  Christians  were  desig- 
nated. 


84  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  X. 

7.  So  are  tlie  terms  wliicli  we  have  mentioned  as  com- 
ing- into  use  among  tliem.  That  the  phrase  Jesus  Christ, 
or  that  the  latter  portion  of  it  without  the  article,  should 
not  be  found  in  the  Gospels  beyond  what  has  been 
pointed  out,  is  a  remarkable  fact. 

8.  "We  lind  various  questions  about  public  games,  slav- 
ery, and  other  things,  in  which  the  Christians  were  deeply 
interested,  but  on  which  the  Gospels  attribute  no  remark 
to  the  IMaster. 

9.  The  absence  of  allusion  to  Italian  politics  renders 
very  improbable  that  any  of  the  Gospels  underwent  ac- 
cretion in  Italy,  and  adds  somewhat,  at  least,  to  the 
probability  that  they  were  not  unhistorically  fabricated  or 
reworked  outside  of  that  country. 

It  is  morally  impossible  if  the  Gospels  had  been  ficti- 
tious, or  were  slowly  growing  under  the  hands  of  Chris- 
tians, that  they  should  have  omitted  all  the  topics  of 
chief  interest  to  those  who  wrote  them. 

If  we  now  turn  to  the  spurious  records  which  Chris- 
tians forged,  we  can  to  some  extent  test  the  truth  of  the 
preceding  remarks.  The  test  is  imperfect,  because  these 
spurious  records  were  not  strictly  original  compositions, 
but  (setting  aside  the  Letter  of  Lentulus)  simply  an  effort 
to  reproduce  facts  concerning  Jesus  — especially  the  mir- 
acles —  as  recorded  in  the  Gospels,  basing  them,  however, 
on  non-Christian  evidence.  Had  these  documents  aimed 
to  originate  a  life  of  the  Master  rather  than  to  substan- 
tiate one  which  already  existed,  they  would  have  had 
a  much  wider  field  lor  introducing  the  peculiarities  of 
other  countries  or  later  times.  In  these  records  we  find 
Jesus  charged  with  destroying  the  sabbath,^  and  effecting 
cures  by  magic.^  Articles  of  clothing,  belonging  to  ofK- 
cial  position,  are  mentioned  by  their  heathen  names  ;  ^ 
the  terms  Lord's  Day  and  Palm  Sunday  are  introduced 
as  if  in  use  during  the  ministiy  of  Jesus  ;  *  we  find  the 

1  See  Appendix,  Note  A,  §§  1,  7  ;  Note  B,  §  3. 

2  See  Note  A,  §§  1,  6,  7  ;  Note  B,  §  1. 
8  See  Note  A,  §§  2,  4,  11. 

*  See  Note  A,  §§2,  13,  14. 


SUMMARY  OF  ARGUMENT.  85 

Roman  standards  doing  homage  to  Jesus  ;^  we  find 
twelve  persons  in  Judea  charged  with  being  proselytes  ^ 
and  maintaining  that  they  are  born  Jews,  —  a  subject  of 
dispute  natural  in  localities  outside  of  Judea,  but  un- 
likely to  affect  simultaueously  twelve  witnesses  in  Jeru- 
salem ;  we  find  crucifixion  treated  as  a  Jewish  form  of 
punishment ;  "^  the  results  of  Christ's  mission  to  the  under- 
world are  plainly  stated  ;  ^  a  description  of  his  personal 
appearance  is  given  at  length ;  ^  the  appeal  to  the  Old 
Testament  as  having  foretold  the  crucifixion  and  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  admits  but  one  interpretation  ;  ^^  and 
the  pseudo-predictions  foretell  the  destruction  of  the  tem- 
ple with  a  sufficient  description  of  those  who  were  to 
destroy  it.^^ 

There  is  yet  an  indirect  argument  to  be  drawn  from  a 
condition  of  things  nineteen  or  twenty  years  after  the 
ministry  of  Jesus.^^  Six  different  writers  —  heathen, 
Jewish,  and  Christian  —  concur  in  implying  or  referring 
to  a  wide-spread  excitement  at  that  date  among  Jews,  the 
blame  of  which  was  thrown  to  some  extent  on  Christians. 
The  writers  are  Tacitus,  Suetonius,  the  author  of  a  Jewish 
Sibylline  production,  Paul,  Luke,  and  Eusebius.  There 
can  harrlly  be  a  question  that  these  writers,  witli  the  ex- 
ception perhaps  of  Paul  and  Luke,  wrote  independently 
of  each  other.  Their  concurrence  implies  that  at  the 
date  mentioned  Christianity  had  taken  considerable  hold 
in  Italy.  The  allusions,  moreover,  to  the  excitement  and 
to  some  circumstances  connected  with  it  are,  in  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles  and  in  Paul's  letters  to  the  Thessalonians, 
so  incidental  that  they  can  only  have  been  written  by 

6  See  Note  A,  §  4  ;  compare  Phil.  2,  10. 
«  See  Note  A,  §  6. 

^  See  Note  A,  near  close  of  §  7,  col.  2,  and  Note  B,  §  3. 
8  See  Note  A,  §  13,  Note  B,  §  3,  and  .speech  of  Thaddeus  in  Note  F. 
Compare  Note  I,  footnote  5. 
8  See  Note  D,  and  speech  of  Thaddeus  in  Note  F. 
i»  See  Note  A,  §  7,  Note  E,  §  1,  and  compare  Note  I,  footnote  5. 
"  See  Note  J,  No.  1. 
»2  See  Judaism,  Ch.  YIII.  §  5. 


86  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  XI. 

persons  who  lived  through  it,  and  whose  readers  were 
familiar  with  it.  Writers  of  a  later  date  would  not  have 
expected  such  allusions  to  be  understood.  These  allu- 
sions estabhsh  the  fact  that  the  documents  were  written 
by  persons  then  living,  and  each  ef  these  documents  im- 
plies a  then  accepted  liistory  of  Jesus,  essentially  such  as 
we  find  in  the  Gospels. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

DID   PSEUDO-RECORDS  REACT  ON  THE  GOSPELS? 

If  the  genuineness  of  the  Gospels  be  assumed,  the 
question  may  be  asked,  wliether  any  of  them  have  suf- 
fered by  interpolation  from  tlie  pseudo-records  concerning 
Jesus.  If  these  records  were  independent  of  the  Gospels ; 
if  they  were  not,  with  one  exception,  as  already  said,  a 
mere  effort  to  reproduce  facts  mentioned  in  the  Gospels, 
but  substantiated  by  other  evidence,  —  the  question  would 
be  more  important.  Still  the  question  may  be  asked 
whether  anything  whatever  has  been  interpolated  from 
them.  The  answer  as  regards  all  of  them  save  the  Acts 
of  Pilate  is.  No.  There  is  not  the  slightest  ground  to 
suspect  such  interpolation. 

If  we  now  examine  the  Acts  of  Pilate,  there  is  no 
reason  to  surmise  interpolation  from  it  into  the  Gospels 
of  Mark  (as  corrected  from  the  manuscripts)  or  Luke  or 
John.  In  the  case  of  IMatthew  there  are  passages  in 
tlie  last  two  chapters  which  seem  to  require  a  different 
answer.  His  Gospel  was  written  in  what  was  then  called 
Hebrew,  —  a  language  not  extensively  spoken,  and  whose 
book-markets,  therefore,  could  scarcely  pay  for  that  rigid 
revision  of  manuscripts  whicli  existed  in  the  Greek  ones. 
Judea,  moreover,  even  before  the  destruction  of  the  tem- 
ple and  to  a  far  greater  extent  afterwards,  must  have 
been  more  poorly  supplied  with  trained  copyists   than 


DID   PSEUDO-RECORDS   REACT   ON   THE   GOSPELS  ?       87 

"were  the  centres  of  Jewish  thought  and  influence  in  other 
lands.  The  Jewish  Ciiristians  became  in  Judea  an  ob- 
scure sect  whose  copyists  cannot  have  exceeded  others 
in  that  locahty.  The  Acts  of  Pilate  were  originally 
written  in  this  Hebrew,  or  Syro-Chaldaic,  dialect/  and 
there  are  five,  or  perhaps  six,  instances  in  the  last  two 
chapters^  of  Matthew  where  the  question  may  be  fairly 
raised  whether  an  addition  lias  not  been  made  from  the 
Acts  of  Pilate.  None  of  these  passages  pertain  to  tlie 
life  or  teaching  of  Jesus.  They  are  here  subjoined  for 
the  reader's  study.  The  first  two  and  the  filth  contain 
nothing  inherently  improbable ;  yet  they  are  more  appo- 
site to  the  Acts  of  Pilate,  where  the  oV)ject  is  to  "make 
out  a  case,"  than  in  the  Gospels,  which  are  elsewhere 
remarkably  free  from  any  such  aim. 

1.  Dream  of  Pilate  s  Wife. 

"  Now  at  that  feast,  the  governor  was  wont  to  release 
unto  the  people  a  prisoner,  whom  they  would.  And  they 
had  then  a  notable  prisoner,  called  Barabbas.  Therefore, 
when  they  were  gathered  together,  Pilate  said  unto  them, 
Whom  will  ye  that  I  release  unto  you  ?  Barabbas,  or 
Jesus,  which  is  called  Christ  ?  (For  he  knew  that  for 
envy  they  had  delivered  him.) 

[""When  he  was  set  clown  on  the  judgment-seat  his  wife  sent  unto 
him,  saying,  Have  thou  nothing  to  do  with  that  just  man  :  for  I 
have  suffered  many  things  this  day  in  a  dream,  because  of  him.] 

"  But  the  chief  priests  and 
elders  persuaded  the  multitude  that  they  should  ask  for 
Barabbas,  and  destroy  Jesus."  ^ 

1  See  extracts  in  Ch.  I.  note  4,  from  the  headings  of  various  manu- 
scripts  of  said  document. 

2  The  Acts  of  Pilate  begin  with  the  measures  for  the  arrest  of  Jesus 
during  his  last  visit  to  Jerusalem,  and  are  parallel  oidy  with  the  last  two 
chapters. 

3  Matt.  27,  15-18  [19],  20.  Compare  Appendix,  Note  A,  §  5  at  the 
beginning  and  §  7  near  its  close. 


88  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF   IIISTOIIY.  [CH.  XI. 

2.   Pilate  washes  his  Hands. 

"  And  the  governor  said,  Why !  what  evil  hath  he 
done  ?  But  they  cried  out  the  more,  saying,  Let  him  be 
crucified. 

["  When  Pilate  saw  that  he  could  prevail  nothing,  hut  that  rather 
a  tumult  was  made,  he  took  water,  ami  washed  his  hands  before  the 
nuihitude,  saying,  I  am  innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just  person  : 
see  ye  to  it.  Then  answered  all  the  people,  and  said,  His  blood  be 
on  us  and  on  our  children.] 

"  Then  released  he  Barabbas  unto  them  :  and 
having  scourged  Jesus,  gave  him  up  to  be  crucified."  * 

3.    The  Dead  of  former  Times  arise. 

"  And  behold,  the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  two 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom  :  and  the  earth  did  quake  and 
the  rocks  were  rent :  and  the  tombs  were  opened. 

["  And  many  bodies  of  the  holy  which  slept  arose,  and  came  out 
of  the  tombs  after  his  resurrection,  and  went  into  the  holy  city, 
and  appeared  unto  many.] 

"  Now,  when  the  centurion,  and  the}'"  that  were  with 
him,  watching  Jesus,  saw  the  earthquake,  and  those 
things  that  were  done,  they  feared  greatly,  saying,  Truly 
this  was  the  Son  of  God."  ^ 

4.    The  Tomb  sealed  and  guarded. 

"  And  when  Joseph  had  taken  the  body,  .  .  .  and  laid 
it  in  his  own  new  tomb,  ...  he  rolled  a  great  stone  to 
the  door,  .  .  .  and  departed.  And  jNIary  ]\Iagdalene  was 
there,  and  the  other  Mary,  sitting  opposite  the  tomb. 

["  Now,  the  next  day  tliat  followed  the  day  of  the  preparation, 
the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  came  together  unto  Pilate,  saying, 
Sir,  we  remember  that  that  deceiver  saiil,  while  lie  was  yet  alive, 
Alter  three  days  I  will  rise  again.  Command  therefore  that  the 
tomb  be  made  sure  \uitil  the  third  day,  lest  his  disciples  come  by 
night,  and  steal  him  away,  and  say  unto  the  people.  He  is  risen 

<  Matt.  27,  2:5  [24,  25],  26.     Compare  Note  A,  §  10. 
6  Matt.  27,  .^)l  [.-)2,  53],  5J.     Sue  Note  A,  close  of  §  13. 


DID   PSEUDO-RECORDS   REACT   ON   THE   GOSPELS  ?        89 

from  the  dead  :  so  the  last  error  shall  be  worse  than  the  first. 
Pilate  said  unto  them,  You  have  a  watch  :  go  your  way,  make  it  as 
sure  as  you  can.  So  they  went  and  made  the  tomb  sure,  sealing 
the  stone,  and  setting  a  watch.] 

"  With  the  week's  close,  as  it  dawned  on  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  came  Mary  ]\Iagdalene,  and  the  other  Mary, 
to  see  the  tomb.  And  behold  [a  great  earthquake  took 
place  for]  an  angel  of  the  Lord,  descending  from  heaven, 
rolled  away  the  stone,  .  .  .  and  sat  upon  it. 

["  His  appearance  was  as  lightning,  and  his  raiment  white  as  snow, 
and  from  fear  of  him  those  watching  quaked  and  became  as  dead.] 

But  the  angel  addressing,  said  to  the  M'omen,  Do  not  fear, 
I  know  that  you  seek  Jesus  who  was  crucified."  ^ 

5.  The  Soldier's  hribcd. 

"  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them,  Be  not  afraid  :  go  tell  my 
brethren,  that  they  go  into  Galilee,  and  there  they  shall 
see  me. 

["  Now,  when  they  were  going,  behold,  some  of  the  watch  came 
into  the  city,  and  showed  unto  the  chief  priests  all  that  had  taken 
place.  And  when  they  were  assembled  with  the  elders,  and  had 
taken  counsel,  they  gave  much  money  unto  the  soldiers,  saying  : 
Say,  '  His  disciples  came  by  night,  and  stole  him  away  while  we 
slept.'  And  if  this  come  to  the  governor's  ears,  we  will  persuade 
him,  and  secure  you.  So  they  took  the  money,  and  did  as  they 
were  taught  :  and  this  saying  is  commonly  reported  among  the  Jews 

UNTIL  THIS  DAY.] 

"  Then  the  eleven  disciples  went  into  Galilee,  into  a 
mountain  where  Jesus  had  appointed  them."  "^ 

6.  Aecount  of  Judas. 

In  the  order  of  Matthew's  Gospel  the  account  of  Judas 
l^recedes  any  of  the  five  passages  already  cited.  It  is  here 
placed  last  because,  though  it  must  be  an  interpolation, 
the  evidence  is  unsatisfactory  for  its  existence  in  the 
Acts  of  Pilate  earlier  than  in  the  Gospel. 

"  When  morning  came,  all  the  chief  priests  and  elders 

0  Matt.  27,  59  -(il  [02  -  (>(i]  ;  28, 1,  2  [;5,  i\,  5.  See  Note  A,  pp.  137,  138. 
•  Matt.  28,  10  [11  -  1.-.],  ic.     See  Note  A,  §  14. 


90  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  XI. 

of  the  people  took  counsel  against  Jesus  to  put  him  to 
death.  And  having  bound  him,  they  led  him  away,  and 
delivered  him  to  Pontius  Pilate  the  governor. 

["Then  Judas,  .  .  .  when  he  saw  that  he  was  condemnefl,'  re- 
pented, and  brought  again  the  thirty  j)ieces  of  silver  to  the  chief 
jirie^ts  and  ehlers,  saying,  I  have  sinned  in  that  I  have  betrayed 
innocent  bhiod.  .  .  .  And  he  cast  down  the  pieces  of  silver  in  the 
temple,  and  departed,  and  went  and  hanged  himself.  And  the  chief 
priests  took  the  silver  pieces,  and  said,  It  is  not  lawful  to  put  them 
into  the  treasury,  because  it  is  the  price  of  blood.  And  they  took 
counsel,  and  bought  with  them  the  potter's  held,  to  l)ury  strangers 
in.  Wherefore  that  field  has  been  called.  The  field  of  blood,  UNTO 
THIS  DAY.  Then  was  fulfilled  what  was  spoken  by  Jeremiah  the 
prophet,  saying,  And  they  took  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  ]n-ice 
of  him  that  was  valued,  whom  they  of  the  children  of  Israel  valued  ; 
and  gave  them  for  the  potter's  field,  as  the  Lord  commanded  me.] 

"  And  Jesus  stood  before  the  oovernor :  and  the  gov- 
ernor  asked  him,  saying,  Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews  ? 
And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  I  am."  ^ 

Besides  the  foregoing  there  is  in  the  Epitome  of  events 
after  the  resurrection,^*'  subjoined  to  Mark's  Gospel  by  a 

8  Jesus  had  not  at  this  date  been  condemned  nor  even  tried.  In  the 
pseudo  Acts  of  Pilate  (§  3)  the  wording  is,  '*  Judas,  seeing  how  they  led 
Jesus  befoue  Pilate,  .  .  .  repenting,"  etc. 

9  Matt.  27,  I,  2  [:5-10],  11.  Compare  Acts  1,  IS^,  where  Judas  is  not 
said  to  have  returned  the  money,  but  to  have  used  it  for  buying  a  field. 
The  statement  there  is  part  of  a  parenthesis  (verses  is,  19)  which  Luke, 
speaking  in  his  own  person,  has  interjected  into  Peter's  speech. 

In  the  Acts  of  Pilate  the  account  of  Judas  appears  only  in  two  cog- 
nate manuscripts  which  Tliilo  {Cod.  Ai)oc.  p.  cxxix.)  designates  as 
Cod.  Vend,  and  Paris  D.  This  renders  uncertain  whether  it  existed 
in  that  document  before  Matthew's  Gospel  was  translated  into  Greek. 

1"  On  this  Epitome  see  Appendix,  Note  0,  footnote  2.  It  is  here  given 
with  the  sources  from  which  it  seems  to  have  been  compiled. 

"And  having  risen    early,  on  the  "Mary  of  Jlagdala   conieth  early 

fii'st  day  of   tlie  week,  he    apj>eareii  ...  to  the  tomb,  .    .   .   and  beheld 

first    to   Mary   of    Magdala     out   of  Jesus  standing."  —  John  20,  1,  14. 
Avlioiii  he  had  cast  seven  demons. 

"  She  went  and  told  those  who  had  "  Mary  of  Magdala  cometh,  bring- 

beeu  with  him,  who  were  mourning  ing  word  to  the  disciples  that  she  had 

and  weeping.    And  they,  when  they  seen  the  Lord."  —  John  20,  18. 
heard  that  lie  was  alive,  and  had  been 
seen  by  her,  diil  not  believe. 

"  After  this,  he  manifested  himself  "  Two  of  them  were  going  the  same 


DID    PSEUDO-RECORDS   REACT   ON   THE   GOSPELS  ?       91 

later  hand,  a  passage  (verse  ic)  which  may  have  been 
copied  from  the  Acts  of  Pilate.  The  subsequent  passage 
also  (verses  17,  18)  appears  in  two  or  more  manuscripts  of 
the  same  pseudo  Acts.  Yet  in  this  latter  document  it  is 
less  supported  by  manuscript  authority  than  the  preced- 
ing verse,  and  may,  therefore,  have  been  copied  into  said 
document,  not  from  it. 


day  to  a  village  called  Emmaus  .  .  . 
Jesus  himself  drew  near,  and  went 
with  them."  —  Luke  24,  13,  15. 


in  another  form  to  two  of  them  as 
they  walked,  going  into  the  country. 
And  they  went  and  reported  it  to  the 
rest  ;  and  even  them  they  did  not  be- 
lieve. 

"  Afterward  he  manifested  himself 
to  the  eleven  themselves,  as  they 
were  reclining  at  table,  and  upbraided 
them  witli  their  unbelief  aud  hard- 
ness of  heart,  because  tliey  did  not 
believe  those  who  had  seen  him  after 
lie  had  risen. 

"  And  he  said  to  them.  Go  into  all 
the  vi'orld,  and  preach  the  glad  tid- 
ings to  the  whole  creation.  He  that 
believeth  and  is  baptized  will  be 
saved  ;  but  he  that  doth  not  believe 
will  be  condemned. 

"  And  these  signs  will  accompany 
believers  :  In  my  name  they  will  cast 
out  demons  ;  will  speak  languages 
new  [to  them]  ;  will  take  up  ser- 
pents ;  and  if  they  drink  any  deadly 
thing,  it  will  not  hurt  them  ;  tliey 
will  lay  their  hands  on  the  sick,  and 
they  will  recover. 

"  So  then,  the  Lord,  after  he  had 
spoken  to  them,  was  taken  up  into 
heaven,  and  sat  down  on  the  right 
liand  of  God. 

"  And  they  went  forth,  and 
preached  everywhere,  the  Lord  work- 
ing with  them,  and  confirming  the 
word  bvtlic  signs  which  followed  it." 
—  Mark  16,  it- 20. 

The  Epitomist  seems  to  have  understood  tlie  words  of  Jesus  (Acts 
1,  s)  as  a  promise  of  miraculous  powers,  rather  than  of  a  divine  in- 
fluence, which  .should  fit  them  for  their  work,  and  of  which  any  miracu- 
lous powers  were  merely  an  accompaniment. 

The  taking  up  of  serpents  may  have  been  based  upon  Paul's  experience 
(Acts  28, ."!),  with  which,  however,  compare  Luke  10,  19. 


"  He  himself  stood  in  the  midst  of 
them."  —  Luke  24,  36.  "  Jesus 
came  aud  stood  in  the  midst,  and 
sai<l  ...  Be  not  faithless,  but  be- 
lieving." —  John  20,  19,  27. 


"  Go,  and  make  all  nations  my  dis- 
ciples." —  Matt.  28,  10. 

"  Whoever  believes  and  is  baptized 
will  be  saved,  but  the  unbeliever  will 
be  condemned.''  —  Acts  of  Pilate, 
§  ir,  ;  Thilo,  p.  622. 

"  You  will  receive  power  when  the 
Holy  Spirit  hath  come  upon  you  ; 
and  you  will  be  my  witnesses.''  — 
Acts  1,  8.  Compare  Heb.  2,  4,  cited 
below. 

[In  Acts  of  Pilate,  §  15,  of  Paris  A, 
the  adjacent  passage  is  perhaps  an 
interpolation.] 

"  When  he  liad  .spoken  ...  he 
was  taken  up."  —  Acts  1,9.  "Sit 
on  my  right  hand."  —  Heb.  1,  13. 

"  God  .also  bearing  them  witness, 
both  with  signs  .and  wonders,  and 
divers  mir.acles,  and  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Spirit."— Heb.  2,  4. 


92  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  XII. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

TWO  QUESTIONS  FURTHER. 
§  1.  Correspondences  of  Matthew,  Mark,  ancl  Luke. 

The  phraseology  of  Mattliew,  Mark,  and  Luke  is  in 
many  cases  very  similar.^  Two  considerations  will  ac- 
count for  this.  1.  As  regards  events  recorded,  any  one 
narrating  the  same  thing  fifty  or  one  hundred  times  falls 
inevitably  into  a  more  or  less  set  form  of  words.  The 
Apostles  and  their  companions  taught  in  each  other's 
company,  and  the  phraseology  in  which  they  taught, 
being  used  over  and  over  again,  acquired  more  or  less 
of  a  fixed  character.  Matthew  and  Peter  had  doubtless 
taught  in  each  other's  hearing.  The  diction  of  Mark 
may  be  largely  that  of  Peter.  Luke  at  Antioch  may 
have  listened  to  more  than  one  of  the  Apostles  and  their 
companions.  2.  The  teaching  of  Jesus,  even  if  repeated 
by  different  listeners,  would  present  a  similarity  of  ex- 
pression. 

§  2.    Sti/lc  of  John,  the  Evangelist. 

In  the  New  Testament  certain  peculiarities  of  expres- 
sion are  found  only  in  the  language  of  John,  and  in  that 
of  others  as  quoted  by  him.  This  renders  probable  that 
the  Evangelist,  in  recording  when  old  the  utterance  of 
others,  has  at  times  done  it,  partly  at  least,  in  his  own 
language,  though  scarcely  when  giving  (18,  38)  the  answer 
of  Pilate. 

In  the  appended  comparison  the  left-hand  column  gives 
the  language  of  the  Evangelist,  the  right  gives  that  of 
others  as  re])orted  by  him.  The  latter  is  the  reported 
language  of  Jesus,  except  where  the  name  of  another  is 
subjoined. 

^  This  question  is  somewhat  fully  treated  by  Mr.  Norton  in  his  Oenvr 
incness,  Vol.  1,  Appudix,  Note  D ;  abridged  edit.  Note  B. 


§2.] 


TWO   QUESTIONS   FURTHER. 


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TWO    QUESTIONS   FURTHER. 


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INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF  HISTOEY. 


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§2.] 


TWO    QUESTIONS   FUETHER. 


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98 


INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY. 


[CH.  XU. 


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c   «   >> 

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hath 
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not 
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fc  '5  '5  d 

f- "«  e  a 

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c:  -M  -M  o 

jS    rt    c«    >, 

e--i5 

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:2;WffiH 

«  15  2  £5  ?^ 

§2.] 


TWO   QUESTIONS   FURTHER. 


99 


g, 


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rfS   o   o  -3 

S    t    S  -u 

2  r<  -^     « 


■^    ffl    »<    -H 


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o 

Q 

w 
W 

Eh 
O" 

o 

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'e 


«  3 
2    »j 


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'I  '§  ~  S 

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S'   «   o  -S 


p     'i)     «     « 

*-     ^    C     S 
o    o    S    ? 


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C4 


!^  S 


■X 


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.1  «"      .2 


5  g  d  s  s-^ 
jCjC)  g  s  o 

'"'  ■^  in  05  ^  ■^ 

;2  irf    cf     '*'' 


100  INDIRECT   TESTIMONY   OF   HISTORY.  [cH.  XII. 


a> 

i 

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> 

aj    a! 

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■^  -2  —1 

S 

+3 

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tJ        aj  ^,  ^  ^-  —  ^        ;3 


■*!  ...  .  . 


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.2  HN 


§2.] 


TWO   QUESTIONS   FURTHER. 


101 


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102  INDIRECT  TESTIMONY   OF  HISTORY.  [cH.  XU. 


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APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


NOTE  A. 


ACTS  OF  PILATE. 


Among  literary  frauds  by  Christians  in  the  first  three 
centuries,  the  most  important  were  two  cognate  documents 
called  the  "  Acts  of  Pilate  "  and  "  Pilate's  Report."  ^  Dift'er- 
ing  authorships  were  assigned  to  tlie  former  of  these,  and  it 
had  various  titles,  besides  the  one  here  adopted.^  It  appears, 
also,  to  have  been  repeatedly  remodelled,  interpolated,  and 
altered  for  the  purpose  of  adapting  it  to  various  controversial 
wants.  An  elaborate  translation  of  all  these  variations, 
though  useful  to  a  scholar,  might  prove  distracting  to  an 
ordinary  reader.  To  avoid  such  distraction  and  facilitate  in- 
sight into  the  chief  object  of  this  forgery,  the  author  has  con- 
fined his  translation  of  the  document  to  two  only  of  its  forms, 


1  Justin  Martyr  twice  mentions  the  former  of  these,  and  Tertullian 
once  refers  to  the  latter.  "And  that  these  things  occurred  you  can  learn 
from  the  Acts  prepared  under  Pontius  Pilate."  ^Justin  Martyr, 
Apol.  1,  35.  "  And  that  he  [Jesus]  did  these  thinf:cs  y<>"  c^n  learn  from 
the  'Acts  '  prepared  under  Pontius  Pilate."  —  Justin  Martyr,  Ajml.  1, 
4S.  "  Pilate  —  himself  already  a  Christian  as  regarded  his  own  conscien- 
tia,  private  conviction  —  announced  at  that  date  to  Tiberius  Caesar  all 
those  circumstances  [which  I  have  narrated]  concerning  Christ."  — Ter- 
tullian, Ajml.  1,  21.     Compare  Judaism,  p.  442. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Justin  uses  the  Latin  title  "Acts."  This 
probably  implies  that  Latin  translations  of  the  former  document  were 
already  in  circulation.  The  latter  document,  even  if  forged  in  Greek, 
must  have  professed  a  Latin  original. 

According  to  Eusebius,  Ecc.  Hist.  1,  0,  and  9,  f>  and  7,  the  Heathens,  a 
little  before  the  year  300,  invented  a  counter- record  concerning  Jesus, 
which  bore  the  same  name.  The  latter  document  was  circulated  by  offi- 
cial authority,  and  was  taught  to  children  in  the  schools.  Its  object,  of 
course,  was  to  misrepresent  and  lidicule  Jesus. 

2  See  Ch.  I.  note  4. 


106  ACTS   OF  PILATE.  [note  a, 

which  he  has  also  divided  into  sections  and  supplied  with 
headings. 

The  manuscripts  designated  by  Thilo  as  "  Paris  A "  and 
"  Paris  D  "  are  the  ones  from  which,  with  exceptions  to  be 
duly  pointed  out,  the  following  translation  is  made.  The 
heading  and  prologue  of  the  former  have  already  been  given. ^ 
The  heading  of  the  latter  is  subjoined.* 

The  date  when  these  "  Acts  "  were  likely  to  circulate  most, 
and  to  undergo  most  alteration,  was  in  the  fourth  and  in  the 
early  part  of  the  fifth  centin-ies.  Christians  were  then  the 
dominant  but  not  the  sole  party.  This  protected  them  from 
inconveniences  to  which,  in  earlier  days,  a  use  of  this  docu- 
ment might  have  subjected  them.  Subsequently  to  the  fifth 
century  the  advocates  of  the  Greek  and  Roman  religions  were 
scarcely  so  numerous  as  to  claim  any  frequent  appeal  to 
Pilate's  authority. 

Those  portions  of  the  document  which  seemed  most  likely 

8  See  Ch.  I.  note  4.  Thilo  (p.  cxx.)  gives  as  the  literary  designation 
of  this  manuscript  '■'■Codex  Paris.  Catal.  770.  olim  Colbert.  2493.  turn 
rc(jius  2356."  For  the  convenience  of  those  who  may  wish  to  compare 
the  translation  with  the  original  a  table  is  here  appended  of  the  sections, 
with  the  pages  of  Thilo  on  which  they  will  be  found. 


face, 

pp. 

494-498. 

§    8. 

pp. 

550  -  554. 

§1. 

500-506. 

9, 

556-564. 

2, 

506-508. 

10. 

566-574. 

3, 

508-512. 

11, 

574-588. 

4, 

512-520. 

12, 

590-594. 

5, 

520-526. 

13, 

594-604, 

6, 

526-534. 

14, 

604-616. 

7, 

534-548. 

15, 

616-626. 

*  The  title  or  heading  of  Paris  D  corresponds,  except  the  three  itali- 
cized words,  with  that  of  the  Codex  Venetus  given  in  Ch.  1.  note  4.  It 
is  here  subjoined  because  of  its  bearing  on  a  reading  altered  by  Thilo  in 
the  prefatory  statement.  "  Narrative  concerning  the  estimable  sufiering 
of  our  Lord  and  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  and  concerning  his  holy  resur- 
rection, written  by  a  Jew  named  Ennieus,  wliich  Nicodemus  the  Eoman 
Toparcli  translated  from  the  Hebrew  language  into  the  Komaic  [that  is, 
the  connuon  Greek]  dialect." — Thilo,  Cod.  Ajmc.  p.  cxxvi,  compared 
with  statement  on  ii.  CXXIX,  11.  11,  12.  A  manuscript  copy  of  Paris  D, 
in  the  autlior's  possession,  has  enabled  him  to  amend  Thilo's  text.  This 
copy  he  hopes  to  have  printed  for  the  convenience  of  any  to  whose 
studies  it  might  be  helpful. 

Thilo  has  given  copious  extracts  from  this  manuscript  on  pp.  500,  504, 
SO."!,  507,  510,611,  519,  535-541,  544,  545,  548,  549,  555,  556,  558, 
559,  560,  .563,  564,  568,  569,  571,  572,  574,  575,  581,  589,  590,  591, 
595,  597,  606,  607,  609,  610,  611,  613,  614,  616,  618,  626. 


NOTE  A.]  PREFATORY   STATEMENT.  107 

to  have  belonged  to  it  as  originally  written  are  printed  iu 
larger,  and  the  supposed  additions  in  smaller  type.  This 
arrangement  was  made,  however,  several  years  ago,  and  if  the 
author  had  eyesight  thoroughly  to  re-examine  this  division  he 
might  possibly  alter  it  in  some  places. 


PREFATORY  STATEMENT. 

PARIS   A.  PARIS  D. 

In  the  FIFTEENTH  year  of  the  Four    hundred   years    [literally, 

rule   of    Tiberius,  —  Caesar    and  times]    having    elapsed    after   the 

king    of   the    Romans  —  and    of  kingdom  of  the  Hebrews  came  to  an 

Herod,  king  of  Galilee  —  in  the  end  ;  the  Hebrews  being  tributary 

nineteenth  year  of  his  reign  —  on  ""^^'^  K«™^" .™!«'  the  king  of  the 

the    eighth      [dav]     before     the  Romans  appointing  them  a  king  ; 

^  ,      -P     V   A      -Ti      i_-  L  •     iU  nnally  while  1  iberius  Liesar  swayed 

Calends  ot  April  "^  which  is  the  p^^^^  ^^.^-^^^  j„  ^^^  eighteenth 

twenty-filth   of    March     in    the  y^^^.  ^f  ^is   reign,    he  having  ap- 

consulship  of  Rufus  and  Rubel-  pointed  as  king,  in  Judea.  Herod 

Ho,  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  two  (son  of  that  Herod  wlio   formerly 

hundred  and  second  Olympiad,  killed  the  children  in   Bethlehem) 

under    Caiaphas,   high-priest  of  and  having   Pilate  as  governor  in 

the  Jews  ;  Nicodemus  prepared  Jerusalem,    Annas    and     (Caiaphas 

a  narrative,   and  delivered  it  to  having  the  high-priesthood  in  Jeru- 

the  chief  priests  and  other  Jews,  salem. 

of  .  .  .  and    as    many    things  Nicodemus «  Roman  Toparch 

^  Thilo  has  here  substituted  the  reading  of  Moiiac.  A,  instead  of 
"  April  8th,"  an  evident  corruption  of  text  in  Paris  A.  As  Thilo's 
work  is  readily  accessible  his  slighter  emendations  will  not  hereafter  be 
mentioned.  The  previously  mentioned  fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius  was, 
according  to  Luke  (3,  l),  that  in  which  John  commenced  preaching,  but 
TertuUian  (following  the  Acts  of  Pilate  ?)  puts  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus 
{adv.  Judaeos,  8)  in  this  fifteenth  year  and  the  beginning  of  his  minis- 
try (adv.  Marc.  1,  I'l)  in  the  twelfth  year  of  Tiberius.  Marcion's  view 
(adv.  Marc.  1,  !!•)  accords  with  Luke. 

®  There  is  here  an  obvious  omission  in  the  text.  We  must  supply 
either  "  the  things  done  to  Jesus  "  or  "  the  death  and  suffering  "  or  some 
nearly  equivalent  expression. 

^  These  dates  must  be  a  later  addition,  probably  as  late  as  the  fourth 
or  fifth  century. 

*  The  introduction,  into  the  heading,  of  Nicodemus,  a  Roman  Toparch, 
took  place  doubtless  after  the  Jewish  rebellion  under  Hadrian.  It  and 
some  other  peculiarities  of  this  manuscript  were  caused  by  the  wish  to 
substitute,  as  far  as  possible.  Heathen  for  Jewish  testimony.  The  name 
of  Nicodemus  may  already  have  been  too  closely  linked  with  the  docu- 
ment to  admit  of  discarding  it.  For  'lovSai^av  Thilo  substitutes  '\ov5aiov. 
The  translation  would  then  be  "  Nicodemus,  Roman  Toparch,  summon- 
ing a  Jew,  named  Enuaeas."     His  conjecture  would  make  the  statement 


108 


ACTS    OF   riLATE. 


[note  a. 


PARTS  A. 


PARIS   D. 


and  RufTering  of  our  Lord.     And     of  the  Jews,  sunmioninj,'  [a  man] 


as  occurred  after  the  crucifixion 
the  composition  of  Nicodemus 
was  in  the  Hebrew  language. 


named  Enna^as,*  retjuested  him 
to  write  what  had  been  done  in 
Jerusalem  concerning  Clirist  in 
the  time  of  Annas  and  Caiaphas. 
AVhen  the  Jew  had  done  this 
and  delivered  it  to  Nicodemus, 
he  [Nicodemus]  translated  these 
things  from  the  Hebrew  maim- 
script  into  the  Romaic  dialect. 
The  contents  of  the  uari'ative 
are  as  follows  : 


§  1.  Character  of  Charges  against  Jesus. 


PARIS   A. 

(The  chief-priests  and  scribes 
having  plotted  together)  '"  Annas 
and  Caiaphas  and  Numes  and 
Dothaj,  [Dathaii  ?]  Gamaliel, 
Judas,  Levi,  Nephthalim,  Jaeirus 
and  the  other  Jews,  came  to 
Pilate  against  Jesus,  accusing 
him  of  many  misdeeds,  saying  ; 


We  know  this  man  to  be  the 
son  of  Joseph  the  carpenter,  born 
of  Mary,  and  [yet]  he  claims  to 
be  Son  of  God  and  a  king.  And 
not  only  this,  but  he  profanes 
the  sabbath,  and  wishes  to  de- 
stroy the  law  of  our  fathers. 
For  we  have  a  law  not  to  heal 
any  one  on  the  sabbath  ;  but 
this  man,  by  wrong  deeds  on  the 
sabbath,  heals  the  lame  and  par- 


PARIS   D. 

When  our  Lord  was  perform- 
ing many  great  and  extraordinary 
miracles  in  Judea,  being  envied 
also  by  the  Hebrews  on  this  ac- 
count, during  the  governorship 
of  Pilate  over  Jerusalem  and  the 
high  -  priesthood  of  Annas  and 
Caiaphas,  there  came  from  the 
Jews  to  these  same  high-priests 
Judas,  Levi,  Nephthalim,  Alex- 
ander, Syrus  and  many  others 
accusing  Christ,  whom  also  the 
before  -  mentioned  high-priests 
sent  to  tell  these  things  likewise 
to  Pilate  the  governor. 

These  departing  said  to  him, 
A  man  walks  about  in  this  city 
whose  father  is  called  Joseph, 
and  his  mother  is  Mary,  but  he 
calls  himself  a  king  and  Son  of 
God  ;  and  though  a  Jew,  he  sub- 
verts the  Scriptures,  and  destroys 
the  sabbaths. 

Pilate,  the  governor,  ques- 
tioned, therefore,  to  learn  from 
them  :  How  does  he  destroy  the 


in  this  passage  accord  with  that  in  the  title,  and  would  combine  Jewish 
witli  Eonian  testimony. 

^  The  duplicate  orthography  of  this  name,  Ennseiw  and  EnniBos,  is 
that  of  the  manuscript. 

*<*  Monac.  A. 


§2.] 


KESPECT  OF   PILATE   FOR  JESUS. 


109 


PARTS  A. 

alytics  and  Lliiul  and  the  bowed 
[by  infirmity]  and  the  lepers  and 
the  possessed  of  demons,  and  he 


is  a  sorcerer,  and  casts  out  de- 
mons through  Beelzebub,  and  all 
things  are  suljjeet  to  him. 

Pilate  says  to  them  :  This 
casting  out  of  demons  is  not 
through  an  unclean  spirit,  but 
through  [some]  god.  Escula- 
pius." 

The  Jews  say  to  Pilate  :  We 
beseech  your  highness  that  he 
may  stand  before  your  tribunal 
and  be  inquired  into. 

Pilate  addressing  them  saj's  : 
Inform  me  how  I,  who  am  but  a 
governor,  can  [judicially]  ex- 
amine a  king. 

They  say  to  him  :  We  do  not 
call  him  a  king,  but  he  calls 
himself  so. 


PARIS    D. 

sabbaths  ?  And  they  answering 
said  that  he  heals  the  sick  on  the 
sabbath.  Pilate  answered  :  If 
he  makes  the  sick  well,  he  does 
nothing  evil. 

They  say  to  him  :  If  he  did 
this  properly,  the  evil  would  be 
small,  but  he  does  it  by  the  use 
of  magic  and  by  companionship 
with  demons. 

Pilate  says  :  Healing  a  sick 
person  is  not  a  diabolic  work, 
but  a  favor  from  [some]  god. 


The  Hebrews  say  :  We  be- 
seech your  highness  to  summon 
him  tliat  you  may  ascertain  for 
yourself  what  we  allege. 


§  2.  Besped  of  Pilate  and  his  Attendant  for  Jesus. 


Pilate,  addressing  his  personal 
messenger,'*  says  :  Let  Jesus  be 
brought  in  a  becoming  manner. 

The  personal  messenger  going 
out,  and  recognizing  him,  did 
him  homage,  and  took  his  own 
fasriid  '^  and  spread  it  upon  the 
ground,  and  says  to  Jesus  :  Lord, 
tread  on  this  and  enter  ;  the 
governor  calls  thee. 


Thereupon  Pilate  the  gover- 
nor, taking  off  his  mandelium 
(that  is,  his  fasciul),'^^  gave  it 
to  one  of  his  servants  named 
Rachaab  (that  is,  to  his  personal 
messenger),'*  saying  to  him.  Go 
and  show  this  to  Jesus  and  say 
to  him  :  Pilate  the  governor  calls 
thee  to  come  to  him. 

Therefore  tlie  servant  departed 
and  findin"  Jesus 


1^  Esculapius  may  have  been  a  marginal  explanation  of,  or  substitute 
for,  tlie  pi'eceding  expression. 

^2  Literally,  cursor,  runner. 

J*  Some  copyist  who  had  two  manuscripts  may  nave  understood  two 
dilTercnt  readings  as  being  alike  in  meaning. 

^^  Tlie  remark  in  the  preceding  note  ajjplies  licre  also. 

1^  The  word  here  translated  fiiscial  and  tlie  on<^  so  translated  in  the 
second  column  are  different.     I  am  uncertain  as  to  their  meaninir. 


110 


ACTS   OF  PILATE. 


[note  a. 


PAKI8  A.  PARIS   D. 

(on  Palm-Sunday,  sitting  on  an 
ass.  And  the  Hebrews  strewed 
their  garments  in  the  way,  and  the 
ass  walked  on  the  garments.  And 
the  servant,  seeing  sueh  honor 
towards  Jesus,  himself  also  became 

.     .    .    )16 

summoned  him,  spreading  upon 
the    ground   the   numddium    of 
Pilate,  urging  him  also  to  walk 
upon  it. 
rri,        T  •  •         i.1,-  The  Hebrews,  seeing  this,  and 

The    Jews     perceiving     this,     being  greatly  chagrined,  canie  to 
complained    to    Pilate,    saying:     pHafe,"  the  governor,  complain- 
Why  did  you  not  summon  hmi     i         fhim.    Why  had  he  deemed 
by  the  common  cner  instead  of    je^us  worthy  of  such  honor  ? 
by    your    personal    messenger  .'  •' 

For  he,  as  soon  as  he  saw  him,  did 
h-im  homage,  and  spread  on  the 
ground  his  fascial,  and  has  made 
him  to  walk  as  a  king. 

Pilate,  calling  the  messenger  to 
hiin,  says  :  Why  have  you  done 
this? 

§  3.  Regard  of  Common  People  for  Jesus. 

The  latter  inquiring  of  the 
servant,  who  had  been  sent,  why 
he  had  done  this,  the  servant 
answered,  saying :  When  you 
sent  me  to  the  Jew  Alexan- 
der, I  met  Jesus  entering  the 
gate  of  the  city,  sitting  on  an 
ass,  and  I  saw  the  Hebrews,  that 
they  spread  their  garments  in 
the  way,  and  the  ass  walked 
upon  the  garments  ;  and  others 
cut  branches  and  went  out  to 
meet  liim,  and  cried,  Hosaiina  in 
the  highest.  Blessed  be  he  who 
conies  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
It  became  me  therefore  to  do  the 
same,  and  I  did  the  same. 

^®  An  obvious  interpolation,  from  which  something  has  been  omitted 
in  the  manuscript.  Thilo  (p.  507)  has  erroneously  substituted  Lord's 
Day  of  tlie  Hebrews  for  Palm  Sunday. 

1''  An  awkwardness  in  the  Greek  renders  probable,  in  this  and  other 
instances  on  jip.  108,  109,  that  Pilate  was  copied  from  one  manuscrijit 
and  governor  from  another. 

18  Literally,  the  children  of  the  Hebrews. 


The  messenger  says  to  him  : 
Lord,  governor,  when  you  sent 
me  in  Jerusalem  to  Alexander,  I 
saw  him  sitting  on  an  ass,  and 
the  Hebrews  '*  holding  branches 
in  their  liands  were  crying,  Ho- 
sanna.  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh. 
And  others  strewed  their  gar- 
ments, saying,  Save  [Thou]  in 
the  highest.  Blessed  be  he  that 
cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 


§3.] 


KEGARD   OF   COMMON   PEOPLE   FOR  JESUS. 


Ill 


PARIS   A. 

The  Jews  say  to  the  attendant 
messenger  :  The  Hebrews  were 
cryuig  out  in  Hebrew.  How 
then  dill  you  who  are  a  Gentile 
[literally,  a  Greek]  understand 
the  Hebrew  ? 

The  messenger  says  :  I  asked 
a  certain  Hebrew,  What  are  they 
crying  in  Hebrew  ?  and  he  inter- 
preted it  for  me. 

Pilate  says  to  them :  What 
was  it  that  they  cried  in  He- 
brew I 

They  say  to  him  :  Hosanna. 

Hosanna  —  What  is  the  trans- 
lation of  it  ? 

(They  say  to  him)  Save. 

Pilate  says  to  them  :  You 
yourselves  testify  to  the  words 
uttered  by  the  children  [of  the 
Hebrews].  What  wrong  has  the 
messenger  done  i 


They  were  silent. 


PARIS    D. 

The  Jews,  hearing  these  words, 
said  to  him  :  You  being  a  Roman, 
how  did  you  understand  what 
was  said  by  the  Hebrews  i 


The  servant  answered  and 
said  :  I  asked  one  of  the  He- 
brews, and  he  told  me  these 
thiuys. 


Pilate  said  :  What  does  Ho- 
sanna mean  I 

The  Jews  said  :  Save  us,  Lord. 

Pilate  answered  :  Since  you 
confess  the  utterance  of  these 
things  by  your  own  people  [lit- 
erally, children]  unversed  in  evil, 
how  can  you  now  bring  an  ac- 
cusation and  allege  what  you  do 
against  Jesus  ? 

The  Jews  were  silent  and  had 
nothing  to  reply.'^ 


^^  Here  follow  several  interpolations,  of  which  the  first  was  not  ira- 
prohably  a<lded  soon  after  the  .Jewish  war  under  Hadrian.  It  is  as  fol- 
lows :  "  About  that  time  Jesus  called  to  him  whom  lie  wished  and  they 
went  to  him.  He  also  appointed  twelve,  tliat  they  shoidd  be  with  him, 
and  that  he  might  send  them  to  announce  his  name  in  the  whole  world. 
He  commenced  also  to  establish  a  New  Law  for  the  abolition  of  sab- 
batlis,  the  Jewish  cessation  [from  occupation]  which  they  had  under  the  old 
covenant  from  God  and  Moses.  If  any  Jew  died  on  the  salibath  they  did 
not  bury  him  before  the  following  day.  But  Jesus,  wishing  to  complete 
[in  the  sense  also,  of  "bring  to  a  conclusion"]  that  Law,  gave  strength 
to  the  impotent  man  on  the  sabbath.  He  healed  on  the  sabbath  the 
daughter  of  the  chief  of  the  Synagogue  [and  ?]  her  who  had  an  issue  of 
blood.  The  blind,  [the]  lejier,  and  demoniac,  and  dead,  he  healed  them 
on  the  sabbath.  On  the  sabbath  he  awoke  Lazarus  [who  had  been  dead] 
four  days.  And  on  this  account  the  Jews  sought  to  kill  him,  because 
thereafter  the  whole  people  followed  him." 

On  the  views  here  expressed  concerning  the  sabbath,  compare  Judriism 
at  Home,  Ch.  XI.  §  1.  The  word  translated  to  conyj/c^c  is  often  rendered 
to  fulfil. 

The  foregoing  is  followed  by  a  copious  extract  from  John's  Gospel, 
having  the  twofold  commencement,  "And  as  recorded  by  (the  Evangelist 


112  ACTS   OF   riLATE.  [NOTE  A. 

PARIS  D. 

Then    they    bring    Jesns    to 
Pilate  the  governor,  and  it  was 
the  day  of  ])reparation,  early. 
And    Judas    seeing    (that    also) 
how  they  led  Jesns  before  Pilate,  was  [self-]  coudcinned  in  trembling  and 
fear  beeause  of  bis  base  ]ilotting  against  Iiini,  and  in  his  despair  repent- 
ing, wisliing  to  return  the  thirty  ))ieues  of  silver  to  the  cliief  priests  and 
to  the  elders  of  the  Jews  :  and  these  evil-doers  an<l  aceusers  knowing 
(hiiu)  what  Judas  wished  to  do,  uttered  themselves  against  him  in  unison. 
At  the  same  time  also  the  people  accused  and  insulted  him  alone,  and 
put  on  luni  the  blame  ; 

of  the  crudfximi.  And  they  all  cried  out  against  him  and  said :  Traitor, 
law-breaker,  faithless  one,  thankless  one,  murderer  of  his  teacher  whose 
feet  had  been  washed  by  tlmt  [tcaclicr],  carrier  of  his  purse,  and  giving  out 
of  it  as  much  as  he  wished,  and  hiding  away  as  much  as  he  ivished. 

at  which  things  he  being  worried,  and  not  able 
to  bear  the  reproaches  and  what  he  heard,  and  being  to  such  a  degree 
condemned  and  insulted  by  all,  going  into  the  tenii)Ie  and  finding  the 
chief  priests  and  scribes  and  Pharisees,  he  said,  Know  truly  that  I  have 
done  wrong,  and  take  the  silver  pieces  which  you  have  given  me  for  be- 
traying Jesus  to  you  that  he  might  be  murdered  ;  I  sinned  in  betraying 
innocent  blood.  But  they  said,  What  is  that  to  us,  see  you  to  that. 
And  the  Jews,  not  wishing  to  receive  the  silver  pieces,  casting  these  among 
them  he  fled,  .  .  .  ^o  and  eKpefidaOrj  hung  himself  and  thus  dirriy^aTO 
strangled  himself.  But  the  chief  priests,  taking  the  silver  jiieces,  said, 
It  is  not  lawful  to  cast  them  into  tbe  treasury  because  it  is  the  price  of 
blood,  and  taking  counsel,  they  bought  with  them  the  field  of  the  potter 
as  a  burial-place  for  strangers  ;  wherefore  that  field  is  called  the  field  of 
blood  TO  THIS  DAY.  Then  was  fulfilled  what  was  s})oken  by  Jeremiah 
the  prophet  saying,  And  they  took  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  price 
of  him  who  was  valued,  whom  [they]  of  the  sons  of  Israel  valued  ;  and 
THEY  gave  them  for  the  potter's  field  as  the  Lord  commanded  me.^O' 

John)  the  Written  Books."  The  written  books  might  be  an  authority 
with  a  heathen,  if  he  supposed  them  written  by  heathens.  The  Evan- 
gelist would  not,  and  his  name  was  j)robably  added  after  lieathenism  had 
dieil  out.  The  connection  of  this  extract  is  in  one  or  two  places  broken 
by  still  later  inteipolations.  The  extract  itself  was  not  likely  to  be 
added  before  the  fourth  century. 

^  Tlie  passage  omitted  after  the  word  fled  is  a  very  late  interpolation, 
in  which  a  dead  cock  is  made  to  flap  its  wings  and  crow.  It  may  have 
been  an  cfi'ort  to  rejiroduce,  though  in  a  veiy  extravagant  form,  the  inci- 
dent which  (Luke  22,  lio-c-j)  awakened  repentance  in  Peter. 

2o»  The  du])licate  statements  and  to  some  extent  the  imperfections  of 
phraseology  in  the  account  of  Judas  have  been  retained  in  the  transla- 
tion, since  they  arc  not  without  beaiiiig  on  the  (|uestion  whether  the 
account  originally  belonged  to,  or  was  afterwards  interpolated  into,  these 
Acts.  Other  portions,  however,  of  Faris  D  are  disfigured  by  careless- 
ness in  copying. 

The  passage  attributed  to  Jeremiah  is  from  Zech.  11,  12,  13. 


§4-] 


HOMAGE   OF   THE  STANDARDS  TO  JESUS. 


li; 


§  4.  Homage  of  the  Standards  to  Jcsus?^ 


PARIS  A. 

The  governor  says  to  his  per- 
sonal messenger :  Go  out  and 
bring  hira  in.  in  such  manner  as 
you  wish. 

The  messenger,  going  out,  con- 
ducted himself  as  before,  and 
says  to  him,  Master,  the  governor 
calls  thee. 

And  as  Jesus  entered,  and  the 
standard-bearers  [stood  by]  hold- 
ing their  standards,  the  figure- 
heads of  the  standards  bowed 
and  did  homage,  to  Jesus. 

And  the  Jews,  seeing  the  be- 
havior of  the  standards,  that  they 
bowed  and  did  homage  to  Jesus, 
cried  out  more  vociferously 
against  the  standard-bearers. 

Pilate  says  to  the  Jews  :  Are 
you  not  filled  with  wonder  that 
the  figure-heads  of  the  standards 
bowed  and  did  homage  to  Jesus  ? 

The  Jews  say  to  Pilate  :  We 
know  that  the  standard-bearers 
bowed  (the  figure-heads)  and  did 
him  homage. 

The  governor,  addressing  the 
standard-bearers,  says  to  them  : 
Why  did  you  do  this  ? 

They  say  to  Pilate :  We  are 
Greeks  [i.  e.  Gentiles],  and  how 
could  we  do  him  homage  ?  For 
as  we  held  the  figure  -  heads, 
these  bowed  of  themselves  and 
did  homage. 

Pilate  says  to  the  rulers  of  the 
synagogue,  and  the  elders  of  the 


PARIS   D. 


And  as  Jesus  came  to  Pilate 
the  governor, 

Pilate's  soldiers  did  him  hom- 
age. 

Others  also  stood  in  Pilate's 
presence  holding  standards,  and 
the  standards  bowed  and  did 
homage  to  Jesus.  While  Pilate 
was  wondering  at  the  occurrence, 


the  Jews  said  to  him  :  Lord,  the 
standards  did  not  do  homage  to 
Jesus,  but  the  soldiers  who  were 
holding  them  carelessly. 


Pilate  says  to  the  chief  of  the 
synagogue :  Select  twelve  power- 


21  Christian  controversialists,  in  tlicir  contest  with  heathenism,  alleged 
with  an  eagerness,  almost  amounting  to  mania,  the  suhjeetion  to  their 
Master's  jiower  of  demons  (see   Underworld  Mission,  p.    78  ;  3d    edit., 

fip.  74,  75)  and  of  everything  idolatrous.  The  figure-heads  of  the 
loman  standards  were  regarded  by  the  Jews,  and  no  doubt  hj'  many 
Christians,  as  idol  emblems.  This  section  is  a  fair  specimen  of  the  Jlas- 
ter's  life,  as  it  would  have  been,  if  devised  by  Christians  in  the  second 
century. 


114 


ACTS   OF   riLATE. 


[note  a. 


PARIS  A. 
Jewish  people  :  Select  powerful 
men,   and    let    them    hi)l(l    the 
standards,  and  let  us  see  whether 
they  will  bow  of  themselves. 

The  elders  of  the  Jews,  taking 
twelve  strong  and  powerful  men, 
made  them  six  by  six  hold  the 
[two]  standards,  and  they  were 
stationed  before  the  tribunal  of 
the  governor. 

Pilate  says  to  his  attendant 
messenger  :  Put  him  (Jesus)  out 
of  the  Prtctorium,  and  bring  him 
in  again  in  such  manner  as  you 
wish. 

And  Jesus  having  gone  out  of 
the  Prtetorium,  Pilate,  address- 
ing those  who  held  the  figure- 
heads, says  to  them  :  I  swear  by 
Caesar's  salvation  that  if  the 
standards  bow  when  Jesus  re- 
turns I  will  cut  otf  your  heads. 
And  sitting  down,  the  governor 
commanded  that  Jesus  should 
enter  the  second  time.  And  the 
attendant  messenger  conducted 
himself  as  1)efore,  and  besought 
Jesus  earnestly  to  tread  upon  his 
fascial.  And  he  walked  upon 
it  and  entered.  And  as  he  en- 
tered, the  standards  again  bowed 
and  did  homage  to  Jesus. 

And  Pilate,  being  astounded 
when  he  saw  it,  sought  to  arise 
from  his  tribunal. 


PARIS   D. 

ful   men,   who  can    hold    them 
firmly  ;  and  when  this  had  been 


done,  Pilate  commanded  the  ser- 
vant to  put  Jesus  out  and  to 
bring  him  in  asaiii.     And  when 


he  came  in,  again  the  standards 
bowed   and    did    him    homage. 

Pilate  therefore  wondered  great- 
ly. But  the  Jews  said  :  He  is  a 
magician,  and  thereby  accom- 
plishes these  things. 


§  5.  Message  from  Pilate's  Wife. 


And  wliile  he  was  yet  intend- 
ing to  arise,  his  wife  sent  to  him, 
saying  :  Have  nothing  to  do  with 
this  just  man,  for  I  suflered 
many  things  on  his  account  dur- 
ing the  night. 

Pilate,  addressing  the  Jews, 
says  :  You  know  that  my  wife  is 
a  IMonotheist,  (and  disposed  to 
Judaize  with  you.) 


§6.] 


IMPUTATION   ON   THE   MOTHER   OF   JESUS. 


115 


PARIS   A. 

They  say  to  hiin,  Yes,  we 
know  it.  Pilate  says  to  them, 
Lo,  luy  wife  Procla  sent,  saying  : 
Have  nothing  to  do  with  this 
just  man,  for  I  suffered  many 
tilings  on  his  account  during  the 
night. 

The  Jews,  answering,  say  to 
Pihite  :  Did  we  not  tell  thee  that 
he  is  a  S(n'cerer,  and  that  through 
Beelzebub,  the  Prince  of  the  de- 
mons, all  things  are  subject  to 
him  ?  Lo  ;  he  sent  a  dream- 
messenger  to  your  wife. 

Pilate  addressing  Jesus,  sa}'s  to 
him  :  Such  j)ersons  testify  against 
you  ;  (Do  you  not  hear  what  these 
testify  against  you  ?)  Do  you  say 
nothing?     [Cp.  §1.] 

Jesus  answered  :  Except  they  had 
authority  [for  tlieir  statements  ?] 
tliey  said  nothing.  Every  one  has 
authority  over  his  own  mouth  to 
speak  good  and  evil.  They  shall 
see. 


PARIS   D. 


Pilate  says  to  Jesus  :  You  hear 
what  these  testify  against  you,  and 
do  you  not  answer  ?     [Cp.  §  1.] 


Jesus  answered  and  said  :  Eveiy 
man  has  authority  to  speak  what 
he  wishes,  whether  his  wish  be 
good  or  evil,  they  also,  therefore, 
having  authority  to  speak  their 
wishes. 


§  6.    Answer  to  Inqmtation  on  the  Mother  of  Jesiis?^ 


The  elders  of  the  Jewish  People, 
answering,  say  to  Jesus :  What 
shall  we  see  ?  First,  That  you 
were  horn  of  fornication.  Second, 
That  your  birth  was  the  cause  of 
destruction  to  young  children  in 
Bethlehem.  Third,  That  your 
father  Joseph  and  your  mother 
Mary  tied  into  Egypt,  because  tliey 
had  no  consolation  (confidence  ?  22») 
among  The  People. 

Certain    discreet    persons     from 


The  Jews  said  to  him  :  AVhat 
have  we  to  say  concerning  thee  ? 
First,  that  you  were  siiii'ully  born. 
Secondly,  that  when  you  were  born, 
forty-four  thousand  children  were 
murdered.  Third,  that  your  father 
and  mother  fled  into  Egypt  because 
they  had  not  courage  towards 
[meeting]  "The  People." 

Hereupon  the  Jews  who  were 
present  (twelve  Monotheist  men 
there)  ^3  answered  and  said  :  We  al- 


22  Most  of  this  section  is  doubtless  an  interpolation.  What  follows 
it  is  intimately  connected,  in  Paris  D,  with  §  4.  Tlie  most  probable 
date  of  the  interpolation  is  in  the  latter  half  of  the  second  century, 
when,  as  we  can  infer  from  the  charges  of  Celsus,  Mary's  character  was  a 
subject  of  discussion.  This  discussion  may  have  been  promptcnl  by  the 
stress  which  Christians,  subse(|uentlY  to  Hadrian's  time  (.Justin,  Apol.  1, 
21,  .-?:?,  Dial.  43,  m,  ',:•,,  84,  lOO ;  Opji.l,  180  E,  20()  D  E  A,  2,  140  I)  E, 
222  A,  2.'') 4  A,  286  A  B,  336  A)  laid  on  the  miraculous  birth  of  Jesus  as  a 
fulfilment  of  prophecy. 

22*  Monac  A.  and  B. 

23  On  the  substitution  of  (Gentile)  Monotheists  for  Jews,  see  note  26. 


116 


ACTS   OF  PILATE. 


[note  a. 


PARIS  A. 
among  the  Jewish  hj'standers,  say  : 
AVe  do  not  allege  him  born  of  I'or- 
nication,  ))ut  [on  tlie  contrary]  we 
know  tliat  .losepli  was  betrothed  to 
Mary  and  (Jesus)  is  not  born  of  for- 
nication. 

Pilate  says  to  the  Jews,  who  af- 
firmed him  to  be  [born]  of  fornica- 
tion :  This  statement  of  yours  is 
not  true,  since  the  betrothing  took 
place,  as  these,  your  fellow-couu- 
trj'men,  affirm. 

Annas  and  Caiaphas  say  to  Pi- 
late :  The  nudtitude  vociferates,  and 
[yet]  you  do  not  believe  that  he 
is  born  of  fornication.  These  are 
Proselytes  and  his  disciples. 

Pilate,  addressing  Annas  and 
Caiaphas,  says  to  them  :  And  what 
is  a  Proselyte  ? 

They  say  to  him  :  They  were 
horn  children  of  Greeks  [i.  e.  Gen- 
tiles] and  have  now  become 
Jews.    • 

Those  who  maintained  that 
he  was  not  born  of  fornication 
—  Lazarus,  Asterius,  Antonius, 
James,  Isaiah,  Annas,  Samuel, 
Isaac,  Phincas,  Crippius,  Agripjia, 
Judas  —  say  :  We  have  not  become 
Proselytes,  but  are  chihlren  of  the 
Jews,^*  and  speak  the  truth,  for  we 
were  present  at  the  betrothal  of 
Joseph  and  Mary, 

And  Pilate,  addressing  these 
{die  twelve  vwn),  who  maintained 
that  he  was  not  born  of  fornication, 
says  to  them  :  1  adjui'e  3-ou  by 
C.Tesar's  salvation  :  Is  it  true  that 
he  is  not  born  of  fornication  ? 

They  say  to  Pilate  :  We  liave  a 
law  not  to  swear,  because  it  is  sin- 
ful. But  let  them  swear  that  it  is 
■not  as  we  have  said,  and  we  are 
liable  to  death. 

Pilate  says  to  Annas  and  Caia- 
phas :  Do  you  answer  nothing  to 
these  things  ? 


PARIS  D. 
lege  that  his  birth  was  not  sinful, 
for  we  know  th.at  Jose])h,  according 
to  betrothal,  received  his  mother 
JIary,  that  he  should  have  charge 
of  her. 

Pilate  said  :  Then  you  speak  false- 
Iv,  who  allege  that  his  birth  is  sin- 
ful. 


2*  This  and  some  other  jwrtions  of  Paris  A  may  have  been  specially 
intended  to  secure  a  circulation  among  Jews,  or  among  such  as  had  more 
Jewish  than  Gentile  leanings. 


§6.] 


IMPUTATION   ON   THE   MOTHER  OF  JESUS. 


117 


PARIS    A. 

Annas  and    Caiaphas  say  to 
Pilate : 

These  {twelve)  arc  bclkved  that  he 
was  not  born  of  fornication. 

The  whole  multitude  of 
us  vociferate  that  he 
wos  born  of  fornication,  and 

is  a  sorcerer 
and  [yet]  calls  himself  Son  of 
God  and  a  king  ;  and  we  are  not 
believed. 


They  again  say  to  Pilate : 
The  whole  people  testifies  that 
he  is  a  magician^ 

(The  Monotheists "»)  the  Jews 
answered  and  said  :  We 
were  at  the  betrothal  of  his  motlier 
{and  are  Jews)  ^^  and 

know  his 
whole  life  ;  but  that  he  is  a  magi- 
cian we  do  not  know. 

Those  (Monotheists)  ivho  thus  af- 
firmed, icere  the  following :  Laz- 
arus, Astlmria,  Antonius,  Jacob, 
Zaras,  Samuel,  Isaac,  Phincas, 
Crispus,  Dagripiius,  Eiimesse,  and 
Judas. 

Pilate  therefore  says  to  them :  I 
wish  you  to  swear  by  Cccsars  life 
ivhether  the  birth  of  this  man  is  free 
from  sin. 

Tliey  ansicered  and  said:  Our 
laic  ordains  that  ire  should  swear  to 
nothing,  for  an  oath  is  a  great  sin. 
But  by  Ccesar's  life  we  swear  tltat 
his  birth  is  free  from  sin.  If  we  are 
falsifying,  command  our  heads  to 
he  cut  off. 

When  these  had  thus  spoken, 
the  accusing  Jews  answered  to 
Pilate  and  said  :  Do  you  trust 
more  to  such  (a  dozen  only) 
Jews  than  to  the  whole  multi- 
tude, and  to  us  who  know  him 
well  [as  a]  magician  and  blas- 
phemer who  names  himself  Son 
of  God  ? 


25  Sec  §  1  and  conclusion  of  §  4.  The  repetition  may  either  be  in- 
tended to  support  their  own  assertion  by  that  of  the  people,  or  to  restore 
the  connection,  which  had  been  interrupted. 

2^  The  Monotheists,  here  and  elsewhere,  is  probably  a  reading  copied 
from  sonic  manuscript,  wherein  it  had  hecn  substituted  for  Jews.  The 
substitution  was  likely  to  take  place  during  the  imbitterment  of  hea- 
thens against  Jews  under  Hadrian  and  afterwards.  Compare  Judaism, 
]).  463,  note  4. 

'^^  An  inter])olation  co])icd  from  some  manuscript  which  was  intended 
to  circulate  specially  among  Jews. 


118 


ACTS   OF   PILATE, 


[note  a. 


§  7.  Pilate's  Conviction  toucliing  Jesus. 


PARIS    A. 

Then  Piljite  coniraanded  the 
whole  niultitude  to  go  out 
exccj)t  the  (twelve)  men  who  said 
that  he  was  not  bom  of  fornication, 
and  he 
commanded  Jesus  to  be  taken 
aside  ;  Pihite  then  says  to  them  : 
For  what  reason  do  they  wish  to 
kill  him  ? 

They  say  to  him  :  They  are 
actuated  by  party  animosity  be- 
cause he  heals  on  the  sabbath. 

Pilate  says  :  Because  of  a  good 
work,  therefore,  they  wish  to  kill 
him. 

They  say  :  Yes. 

Then  Pilate,  filled  with  ex- 
citement, went  out  of  the  Prse- 
torium,  and  says  to  them  : 


I  call  the  sun  to  witness  that  I 
find  no  fault  in  this  man. 

The  .Jews  .answered  and  said  to 
the  governor  :  If  this  man  were  not 
an  evil-doer,  we  ^'^  would  not  have 
delivered  him  to  you. 


Pilate  said  :  Take  him  your- 
selves, and  judge  him  according  to 
your  law. 

The  .Tews  said  :  It  is  not  permit- 
ted us  [by  our  Roman  masters]  to 
put  any  one  to  death. 


PARIS    D. 

Then  Pilate  commanded  all  to 
leave  the  Pra-torium  except  only 
the  before-mentioned  (twelve,*') 
and  when  this  had  taken  jdace 
Pilate  says  to  them  privately  : 
According  to  appearances  the 
rulers  (it  appears  to  me  that  the 
Jews)  through  envy  and  mad- 
ness wish  to  murder  this  man 
(him),^^  for  they  accuse  him  of 
but  one  thing,  that  he  destroys 
the  sabbaths.  But  he  then  does 
a  good  work,  for  he  heals  the 
sick.  This  is  not  a  [charge  which 
deserves]  condemnation  to  death 
against  the  man. 

They  say  to  him  (the  twelve) : 
Yes,  my  Lcrd,  that  is  the  case. 

Pilate  therefore  went  out  in 
anger  and  excitement,  and  says 
to  Annas  and  Caiaphas,  and  to 
the  crowd  who  brought  Jesus  : 
(what  accusation  do  you  bring 
against  this  man  ?)"  I  call  the 
sun  to  witness  that  I  find  no 
crime  in  this  man. 

The  crowd  answered  and  said  : 
If  he  were  not  a  (sorcerer  and)  ma- 
gician (and  blasiihemer)  ^^  and  evil- 
doer, WE  would  not  have  brought 
Inm  and  given  him  up  to  your 
gieatness. 

Pilate  said  :  Examine  him  thor- 
oughly yourselves,  and,  since  you 
liavo  a  law,  do  as  the  law  directs. 

The  Jews  said  :  Our  law  does 
not  permit  us  to  put  any  man  to 
death. 


28  The  specific  number  Uirlvc  is  in  most  or  all  cases  probably  an  addi- 
tion to  the  original  document. 

29  The  passages  inside  and  outside  of  the  two  parentheses  are  evidently 
from  different  texts. 

^^  An  emphasis  on  the  we.  We  are  no  such  lovers  of  Gentile  rule  as 
to  give  u])  our  countrymen  without  cause. 

^'  Perhaps  from  a  difl'erent  text. 

^2  The  previous  narrative  charges  Jesus  Avith  being  a  magician  and  evil- 
doer.    The  terms  in  the  parenthesis  may  be  from  some  amplified  text. 


§7.] 


PILATE'S   CONVICTION  TOUCHING  JESUS. 


119 


PARIS   A. 

(Pilate  said  to  tlie  Jews  :  Did 
God  coiiiinand  that  you  shoulfl  not, 
but  that  I  shoukl  i)Ut  to  death  ?)  ^3 

And  Pihite,  entering  the  Pniito- 
riuni  again,  addi'essed  Jesus  lui- 
vately  and  said  to  him  :  Are  you 
the  king  of  the  Jews  ? 

Jesus  answered  Pilate  :  Do  you 
speak  this  of  yourself,  or  did  others 
say  it  to  3'ou  concerning  nie  ? 

Pilate  answered  Jesus,  and  said 
to  him  :  Am  I  a  Jew  ?  Your  nation 
and  the  cliief  priests  gave  you  up 
to  me.     What  have  you  done  ? 

Jesus  answered  :  My  kingdom  is 
not  of  [or  from]  this  world.  For  if 
my  kingdom  were  of  [from]  this 
world,  my  seivants  would  have 
contended  in  order  that  I  should 
not  have  been  delivered  to  the 
Jews.  But  as  it  is,  my  kingdom 
[or,  jurisdiction]  is  not  thence. 

And  Pilate  said  to  him  :  There- 
fore you  are  a  king  ? 

Jesus  answered  him  :  You  say  [it] 
that  I  am  a  king.  To  tliis  end 
have  I  been  born  and  have  come, 
that  every  one  who  is  of  the  truth 
should  hear  my  voice. 

Pilate  says  to  him  ;  What  is  the 
truth  ? 


Pilate,  leaving  Jesus,  went  out  of 
the  Praetorium  to  the  Jews,  and 
says  to  them  :  I  find  no  fault  in 
him. 

The  Jews  say  to  him  :  This  man 
stated,  I  can  destroy  this  temple, 
and  in  three  days  I  will  build  it. 


PARIS   D. 

Pilate  says  :  If  you  do  not  wish 
to  commit  murder,  by  how  much 
rather  do  not  1. 

Then  Pilate  returned  into  the 
palace  and  addressed  Jesus,  and 
said  to  him  :  Tell  me,  are  you  the 
king  of  the  Jews  ? 

Jesus  answered  him  and  said  : 
Do  )'ou  utter  this,  or  did  others 
(Jews)  say  this  to  you,  that  you  ask 
me  ? 

Pilate  said  :  Am  I  a  Hebrew  ?  I 
am  not  a  Hebrew.  Your  people  and 
the  chief  priests  delivered  you  into 
my  hands  ;  and  tell  me  [therefore  ?] 
whether  you  are  king  of  the  Jews. 

Jesus  answered  :  ^ly  kingdom  is 
not  in  this  world.  For  if  my  king- 
dom were  in  this  world,  my  soldiers 
would  not  have  disregarded  my  cap- 
ture. Therefore  my  kingdom  is  not 
in  this  world. 

Pilate  says  :  Therefore  you  are  a 
king  ? 

Jesus  said  :  You  have  spoken  it. 
For  this  purpose  I  was  born,  to 
bear  testimony  to  the  truth.  And 
if  any  man  is  of  the  truth,  he  be- 
lieves my  teaching  and  does  it. 

Pilate  says  :  Wliat  is  truth  ? 

Christ^*  ansiocred :  Truth  is 
from  tlic  lieavcns. 

Pilate  says:  Is  there  not  truth 
tqion  earth  ? 

Christ  says :  I  am  the  truth,  and 
hoio  is  truth  jndqed  on  earth  by 
those  ivho  hare  earth! y  authority  ? 

Therefore  Pilate,  leaving  Christ 
alone,  went  out  and  says  to  the 
Jews  :  I  find  no  fault  in  this  man. 

The  Jews  answered  :  May  we  say 
to  your  greatness  what  this  man 
said  ?  He  .said,  I  can  destroy  the 
temple  of  God,  and  in  three  days 
rebuild  it. 


83  This  is  omitted  in  Monac.  A.  Its  addition  resulted  doubtless  from 
a  misapprehension  of  the  ])receding  statement  (John  18,  .'U)  as  referring 
to  Jewi.sh  law  instead  of  to  Koman  rule. 

**  This  term  Christ  must  have  been  a  somewhat  late  interpolation. 
The  original  document  used  the  name  Jesus. 


120 


ACTS   OF  PILATE. 


[note  a. 


PARIS   A. 
Pilate  says  :  Wliat  temple  ? 

The  Jews  say  :  The  one  which 
Solomon  built  during  forty-six 
years,  but  this  man  says  he  can 
destroy  and  build  it  in  three  days. 

Pilate  again  says  to  them  :  1  am 
innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just 
man.     You  shall  see  to  it. 

The  Jews  say  :  His  blood  be  upon 
us  and  ujwn  our  children. 

Pilate  calling  to  him  the  ciders 
and  chief  priests  and  Levites,  said 
to  them  privately  :  Do  not  do  thus, 
for  you  accuse  him  of  nothing 
which  deserves  death  :  for  your  ac- 
cusation is  of  healing  and  of  pro- 
faning the  sabbath. 

The  elders  of  the  people  and  the 
chief  priests  and  Levites  say  to  Pi- 
late :  If  a  man  blaspheme  Caesar, 
does  he  deserve  death,  or  not  ? 

Pilate  says  :  He  deserves  death. 

The  Jews  say  :  If  any  one  blas- 
phemes Cffisar,  he  deserves  death. 
But  this  man  blasjihemes  God. 

Then  the  governor  commanded 
(the  Jews)  to  go  out  of  the  Pra!to- 
rium,  and  calling  Jesus  to  him  he 
says  :  What  shall  1  do  to  you  ? 

Jesus  says  to  Pilate  :  In  accord- 
ance with  what  has  been  commis- 
sioned [literally,  given]  you. 

Pilate  says :  What  commission 
has  been  given  me  ? 

Jesus  says  :  Moses  and  the  proph- 
ets foretold  concerning  my  death 
and  resurrection. 

The  Jews,  paying  attention  and 
hearing,  say  to  Pilate  :  What  [need] 
have  you  to  listen  further  to  this 
blas])hemy  ? 

Pilate  says  to  the  Jews  :  If  this 
remark  is  blasphemous  (with  refer- 
ence to  blasi)hcmy)  ^^  take  him  and 
lead  him  away  to  your  synagogue, 
and  judge  him  according  to  your 
law. 


PARIS    D. 

Pilate  says :  And  what  temple 
did  he  .speak  of  destroying  ? 

The  Jews  said  :  Tlie  temple  of 
Solomon,  which  Solomon  con- 
structed in  forty -six  years. 


Pilate  says  privately  to  the  chief 
priests  and  scribes  and  Pharisees  : 
1  exhort  you  that  )'ou  do  no  evil  to 
this  man.  For  if  you  shall  do  evil 
to  this  man,  you  will  do  injustice  ; 
for  it  is  not  just  tliat  such  a  man 
should  die  who  has  conferred  great 
benefits  on  many  men. 

They  spoke  to  Pilate  :  My  Lord, 
If  he  whodishonorsCivsar  is  worthy 
of  ileath,  how  much  rather  this  man, 
who  has  dishonored  God  ? 


Then  Pilate  ordained,  and  all 
went  out.  Then  he  says  to  Jesus  : 
What  do  you  wish  that  1  shall  do 
to  you  ? 

Jesus  says  to  Pilate  :  Do  to  me 
as  is  ordained. 


Jesus  answered,^  Moses  and  the 
profihets  wrote  that  I  should  be 
crucified  and  rise  again. 

The  Hebrews,  hearing  these 
things,  spoke  to  Pilate  :  Why  do 
you  seek  to  hear  greater  insult  from 
him  against  God  ? 

Pilate  says  :  This  is  not  an  inso- 
lent speech  against  God,  since  it  is 
written  in  the  prophetical  books. 


"5  No  pj-eceding  remark  of  Pilnte  appears  in  Paris  D. 

^  The  contents  of  the  parenthesis  are  doubtless  a  duplicate  reading 


copied  into  Paris  A. 


§8-] 


TESTIMONY  OF  NICODEMUS. 


121 


PARIS  A. 

The  Jews  say  to  Pilate  :  Our  law 
contains,  If  a  man  sin  against  man 
he  deserves  to  receive  forty  stripes 
less  one  ;  but  if  against  God,  let 
him  be  stoned. 


Pilate  says  :  Take  him  yourselves 
and  puuisii  liim  in  such  way  as  you 
wish. 


The  Jews  say :  We  wish  that 
he  may  be  cruciiied. 

Pilate  says  :  He  does  not  deserve 
to  be  crucified. 

Pilate,  looking  about  on  the 
surrounding  crowds  of  Jews, 
sees  many  weeping  and  says  :  It 
is  not  the  wish  of  the  whole  mul- 
titude that  he  should  die. 

The  elders  of  the  Jews  say  :  On 
this  account  the  whole  multitude 
of  us  came,  that  he  may  die. 

Pilate  says  :  AVhy  that  he  may 
die  '< 

The  Jews  say  ;  Because  he  pro- 
nounced himself  Son  of  God  and 
kins. 


PARIS   D. 

The  Hebrews  spoke  :  Our  scrip- 
ture says,  If  a  man  wrong  a  man,  or 
insult  liiu),  he  deserves  to  receive 
forty  blows  with  a  staff,  but  if  he  in- 
sults God  [he  deserves]  to  be  stoned. 

(Then  came  a  messenger  fro7n 
Procle,  Pilate's  xoife,  to  him.  The 
message  said :  That  you  take  care 
not  to  agree  that  anij  evil  shall  be- 
fall Jesus,  that  excellent  man,  since 
during  the  night  I  saio  frightful 
dreams  on  his  account.Y' 

Pilate  gave  [as  his]  defence  to 
the  Hebrews  :  See  :  If  you  maintain 
that  the  speech,  which  you  allege, 
that  Jesus  uttered,  is  an  insult 
against  God,  take  him  and  judge 
him  according  to  your  law. 

The  Jews  said  to  Pilate  :  We 
wish  [permission]  that  we  may 
crucify  him. 

Pilate  turning  to  the  people 
saw  many  weeping,  and  said  :  It 
seems  to  me  that  it  is  not  the 
wish  of  the  whole  people,  that 
this  man  should  die. 

The  priests  and  scribes  say  :  We 
brought  the  whole  people  on  this 
account,  that  you  may  attain  cer- 
tainty that  all  wish  his  death. 

Pilate  says  :  But  what  evil  has 
he  done  ? 

The  Hebrews  spoke  :  He  says  he 
is  a  king  and  son  of  God. 


8.  Nicodemus  testifies  to  the  Miracles  of  Jesus. 


Nicodemiis,  however,  a  certain 
Jew,  stood  before  Pilate  and 
says  :  I  beseech  your  excellency, 
command  me  to  speak  a  few 
words. 

Pilate  says  :  Speak. 

Nicodemus   says  :  I  spoke   to 


Thereupon  a  Jew  (a  IMonothe- 
ist)  named  Nicodemus,  standing 
iu  the  midst,  spoke  to  Pilate  :  I 
beseech  your  greatness,  permit 
me  to  speak  a  few  words  to  you. 

Pilate  says :  Speak. 

Nicodemus  says  :  I  spoke  to 


^  This  breaks  the  connection,  and  cannot  belong  with  what  immedi- 
ately precedes  and  follows  it.     Compare  the  beginning  of  §  5. 


122 


ACTS  OF  PILATE. 


[note  a. 


PARIS   A. 

the  elders  and  chief  ])riests  and 
Levites,  and  to  the  whole  multi- 
tude of  Jews  in  the  sviia<;uf,'ue  : 
What  seek  you  witli  this  man  ? 
This  man  peilornis  many  mira- 
cles and  wonderful  works,  which 
no  one  [else  ever]  did  or  will  do. 
Discharge  him,  therefore,  and 
cherish  no  wishes  of  evil  against 
him  ;  for  if  the  miracles  which 
he  performs  are  from  God,  they 
Avill  stand,  but  if  from  man,  they 
will  come  to  nothing. 

Moses  also,  having  been  sent  by 
God  into  Egypt,  did  many  miracles, 
which  God  directed  liini  (to  do)  be- 
fore Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt.  And 
there  were  men  there  in  the  service 
of  Pharaoh  —  Jannesand  Jambres  — 
and  they  also  performed  not  a  few 
miracles  such  as  Moses  ])erformed, 
and  the  Egyptians  held  them, 
Jannes  and  Jambres,  as  gods.  But 
since  the  miracles  which  they  per- 
formed were  not  from  God,  they 
came  to  nothing,  as  did  also  those 
who  believed  on  them.  And  now 
discharge  ^  this  man,  for  he  is  not 
deserving  of  death. 


The  Jews  say  to  Nicodemus  : 
You  have  become  his  disciple  and 
argue  in  his  behalf. 

(Nicodemus  says  to  them  :  Has 
not  the  governor  [in  j'our  opinion) 
become  his  disciple,  and  does  not 
he  argue  in  his  behalf  !) '' 

Did  not  Cicsar  apjwint  him  [with 
authority]  to  decide  this  question  ? 

But    the     Jewa   [meanwhile] 


PARIS    D. 

the  priests,  and  the  Levites  and 
the  scribes  and  the  people  when 
I  was  present  in  the  synagogue : 
What  chai'ge  have  you  against 
this  man  /  This  man  does  many 
miracles,  such  as  [any  other] 
man  never  did  or  will  do.  Dis- 
charge him  therefore  ;  and  if  his 
doings  are  from  God,  they  will 
stand,  but  if  from  men,  they  will 
end  in  nothing.' 


As  happened  Jilso  when  God  sent 
Moses  into  Egy|)t,  and  Piiaraoh, 
king  of  Egypt,  spoke  to  him  that 
he  should  perform  a  miracle,  and 
he  performed  it.  Then  Pharaoh 
had  two  magicians,  Jannes  and 
Jambres.  And  they  also  performed 
miracles  by  the  use  of  magic  arts, 
but  not  such  as  Moses  performed. 
And  the  Egyptians  regarded  such 
magicians  as  gods.  But  because 
they  themselves  were  not  from 
God  their  performances  ended  in 
nothing. 


This  Jesus,  indeed,  raised  Laz- 
arus from  the  dead,  and  he  is 
still  alive.  On  this  account  I 
beseech  you,  my  lord,  that  you 
will  in  no  wise  permit  this  phy- 
sician and  life-preserver  to  be 
murdered. 


The   Hebrews  were  incensed 


**  This  in  the  Greek  is  plural.     It  may  originally  have  been  in  the  sin- 
gular, an  address  to  Pilate  as  in  Paris  D. 
^*  Not  in  Paris  A.     Thilo  copies  it  from  three  other  manuscripts. 


§9.] 


TESTIMONY   OF  THOSE   WHO   WERE   CURED, 


123 


PARIS   A. 

were  menacing,  and  gnashing 
their  teeth  against  Nicodenms. 

And  Pihite  says  to  them  : 
Wliy  do  you  gnash  your  teeth 
against  Nicodenius,  for  he  speaks 
truth  ? 

The  Jews  say  to  Nicodemus  : 
May  you  receive  his  truth  and 
his  portion. 

Nicodenius  says  :  Amen, 
Amen.     [Be  it]  as  you  say. 


PARIS    D. 

against  Nicodemus,  and  said  to 


him  :  May  you  inherit  the  truth 
ol'  Jesus  and  have  part  with  him. 

Nicodemus  says  :  Amen, 
Amen,  Amen,  be  it  to  me  as  you 
say. 


§  9.  Those  Cured  testify  to  the  Miracles  of  Jesus. 

Nicodemus  having  said  these 
things,  another  Hebrew  getting 
up  says  to  Pilate  :  I  beseech 
you,  lord  Pilate,  hear  me   also. 


From  among  tlie  Jews,  more- 
over, another  springing  forward 
desired  to  speak  a  word  to  the 
governor. 

The  governor  says  :  If  you 
wisli  anything,  speak. 

(The  'Jew  said)  :  Thirty-eight 
years  I  lay  on  a  couch,  suffering 
intensely.  And  when  Jesus  came, 
many  possessed  by  demons  and 
prostrated  by  various  diseases 
were  healed  by  his  presence. 
And  some  very  trustful  persons, 
having  compassion  on  me,  carried 
me  witli  my  couch,  and  brought 
me  to  him.  And  Jesus  seeing 
me  had  compassion  on  me,  and 
spoke  a  word,  Rise,  take  up  thy 
couch  and  walk.  And  immedi- 
ately I  was  liealed  and  took  up 
my  couch  and  walked.*^ 

The  Jews  say  to  Pilate  :  Ask 
him  on  what  day  he  was  healed. 

He  having  been  asked  by  Pi- 
late concerning  the  day  says  :  On 
a  sabl)ath. 

The  Jews  say  :  Is  not  this  in 
accordance  with  our  affirmation 
that  he  cures  and  casts  out  de- 
mons ou  the  sabbath  1 


I   lay  helpless   on  a   couch   for 
thirty-eight  years,  and  on  seeing 


me  he  felt  sorrow  and  spoke  to 
me  :  Arise,  take  up  your  couch 
and  depart  to  your  house.  And 
while  he  was  speaking  this 
speech  I  arose  and  walked  about. 

The  Jews  say  :  Ask  him  on 
what  day  of  the  week  this  {lift- 
ing also  your  bed)  occurred. 

He  says :  On  a  sabbath. 


The  Jews  spoke :  And  there- 
fore we  say  truly,  that  he  does 
not  keep  the  sabbath. 


*o  Compare  John  5,  5  - 16. 


124 


ACTS   OF   PILATE. 


[note  a. 


PARIS   A. 

And  again  another  Jew  spring- 
ing I'orwaitl  said  :  I  was  born 
blind.  I  heard  the  voice  [of 
others]  yet  saw  no  countenance, 
and,  as  Jesus  passed  by,  I  cried 
with  a  hjud  voice  :  Son  of  David, 
take  compassion  on  nie.  And  he 
took  compassion  on  me,  and 
pUiced  his  hands  on  my  eyes, 
and  immediately  I  recovered  my 
Bight." 

And  another  springing  forward 
said  :  I  was  bowed  down,  and 
he  straightened  me  by  a  word.** 


And  a  certain  woman  named 
Beronice,  crying  out  from  a  dis- 
tance, spoke  :  I  had  had  a  How 
of  blood,  and  I  touched  the  hem 
of  his  garment,  and  immediately 
the  flow  of  blood,  which  had 
lasted  twelve  years,  came  to  an 
end. 

Then  the  Jews  say  :  We  have 
a  law,  not  to  admit  a  woman  to 
testii'y. 

And  certain  other  men  and 
women  cried  out  :  This  man  is  a 
prophet,  and  the  demons  are  sub- 
ject to  him. 

(Pilate  says  :  Why  are  not  your 
teachers  also  subject  to  him  ?)■** 

They  say  to  Pilate :  We  do  not 
know. 


PARIS    D. 

Again  another  standing  in  the 
midst  spoke  :  1  was  born  blind, 
and  as  Jesus  was  going  along 
the  road  I  cried  to  him,  saying  : 
Take  compassion  on  me,  Lord, 
son  of  David.  And  taking  clay 
he  anointed  my  ej'es,  and  im- 
mediately I  recovered  sight. 


Another  spoke  :  I  was  bent 
down,  and  seeing  him  cried  out  : 
Take  compassion  on  me.  Lord. 
And  taking  me  by  the  hand,  im- 
mediately I  arose. 

Another  spoke  :  I  was  a  leper, 
and  he  healed  me  by  a  word 
alone. 

A  woman  also  named  Beronice 
was  there  and  spoke  :  That  for 
twelve  years  I  had  a  flow  of 
blood,  and  I  only  touched  the 
extremity  of  his  garment,  and 
immediately  I  was  healed. 


They  say :  The  law  does  not 
admit  a  woman's  testimony. 

Other  men  *'  cried  out  :  This 
man  is  a  prophet,  and  the  de- 
mons fear  him. 

Pilate  says  :  Why  do  the  demons 
have  no  such  fear  of  your  fathers  ? 
They  say  :  We  do  not  know.*^ 


*i  Compare  Mark  10,  46  -  52,  Luke  18,  :ir>  -  43. 

*2  Compare  Luke  13,  ii  -  13.  Instead  of  the  foregoing,  Monac.  B 
has  tlie  following  :  "I  had  become  a  leper,  and  he  healed  me  by  a  word." 
Comi)are  Matt.  8,  i-A,  Mark  1,  40- 4r.,  Luke  5,  l.!-  14. 

43  "Afjain  other  Monotlici.sts  cried  out  :  Tliis  man  was  a  prophet. 
From  five  loaves  he  fed  five  thousand,  and  tlirough  four  loaves  four 
thousand,  and  the  demons  fear  liim."  —  Codex  Venet.  in  Thilo,  p.  564. 

**  Monac  B. 

*^  "And  they  gave  no  answer."  —  Codex  Venet.  in  Thilo,  p.  564. 


§10.] 


EFFORT  OF   PILATE  TO   SAVE  JESUS. 


125 


PARIS   A. 

Yet  another  sjjoke  to  Pilate  : 
That  he  awoke  I'roiu  the  sepul- 
chre Lazarus,  who  had  been  dead 
since  the  fourth  day. 

And  the  governor,  getting  into 
a  tremor,  says  to  the  whole  mul- 
titude of  Jews  :  Why  do  you 
wish  to  pour  out  innocent  blood  ? 


PARIS   D. 

Others  again  spoke  :  He  raised, 
and  by  a  wt)rd  only,  Lazarus, 
who  was  [already]  for  the  fourth 
day  in  the  sepulchre. 

PiLite,  therefore,  hearing  the 
resurrection  of  Lazarus,  was 
frightened,  and  says  to  the  peo- 
ple :  Why  do  you  wish  that  you 
may  shed  the  just  blood  of  a 
man  ? 


§10.  Effort  of  Pilate  to  save  Jesus. 


And  summoning  Nicodemus  and 
the  twelve  (who  had  stated  that  he 
was  not  born  of  fornication)  lie  says 
to  them  :  What  shall  I  do,  for 
there  is  a  tumult  among  the  peo- 
ple ? 

They  say  to  him  :  We  do  not 
know.     They  shall  see. 


And  again  Pilate,  summoning 
the  whole  multitude  of  Jews, 
says  :  You  know  that  it  is  your 
custom  at  the  feast  of  unleavened 
bread  [to  ask  me]  to  free  you  one 
])risoner.  I  have  a  condemned 
prisoner  in  the  prison,  a  murderer 
called  Barabbas,  and  this  Jesus, 
on  whom  I  find  no  fault  (in 
him).**  Whom  do  you  wish  that 
1  should  set  free  to  you  ? 

They  cry  :  Barabbas. 

And  Pilate  says  to  them  : 
What  then  shall  I  do  to  Jesus, 
who  is  called  the  Christ '? 

They  say  :  Let  him  be  cruci- 
fied. 

Another  Jew  said  :  You  are 
plainly  no  friend  of  Caesar,  be- 
cause he  proclaimed  himself  son 
of  God  and   king.     You,  there- 


Then  he  summoned  Nicodemus 
and  the  twelve  Monotlieists  (Jews) 
and  spoke  to  them  :  What  do  you 
say  that  I  should  do,  for  the  peo- 
ple is  in  commotion  ? 

They  say  :  We  do  not  know. 
Do  what  you  wish.  What  the 
people  do  [is  done]  that  they  may 
find  out  this,  [^namely,  your  will.] 

Pilate  again  went  out  and  says 
to  the  people  :  You  know  that, 
during  the  feasts  of  unleavened 
bread,  it  is  customary  that  I 
should  set  free  on  my  [your  ?] 
account  one  of  the  arrested  liable 
to  confinement.  I  have  in  prison 
an  evil-doer,  a  robber  named 
Barabbas.  I  have  also  Jesus, 
who  never  did  evil.  Which  of  the 
two  do  you  wish  that  I  should 
set  free  for  you  ? 

The  people  say  :  Free  Barab- 
bas for  us. 

PiLite  says :  What  then  shall 
I  do  with  Jesus  1 

They  say :  Let  him  be  cruci- 
fied. • 

Again  others  cried  out :  If  you 
free  Jesus  you  are  no  friend  of 
Cassar,  for  he  calls  himself  son 
of  God   and   king,   and   if  you 


*^  Doubtless  from  two  texts. 


126 


ACTS   OF  PILATE. 


[note  a. 


PARIS   A. 

fore,  wish  biiu  lor  king  and  not 
Ca).sar. 

Pilate,  being  angry,  says  *^  to  the 
Jews  :  Your  nation  is  always  tur- 
hulent  and  you  opi)ose  your  bene- 
factors. 

The  Jews  say:  What  benefactors  ? 

Pilate  says :  As  I  hear,  your 
God  led  you  out  from  oppressive 
slavery,  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  saved  you  through  the  sea  as  if 
it  had  been  dry  land,  and  nourished 
you  with  manna  in  the  desert  and 
gave  you  a  measure  of  quails,  and 
from  a  rock  supplied  you  with  wa- 
ter to  drink,  and  gave  you  a  law. 
And  after  all  these  things  you  pro- 
voked your  God,  and  sought  out  a 
molten  calf,  and  incensed  your  God 
and  he  sought  to  kill  you.  And 
Moses  interceded  for  you  and  you 
were  not  destroyed.  And  now  you 
charge  me  that  I  hate  the  king. 

And  Pilate  rising  from  the  tribu- 
nal sought  to  go  out. 

And  the  Jews  cried  to  Pilate, 
saying :  We  recognize  Ciesar  as 
king,  but  not  Jesus.  For  the  magi 
olfered  him  gifts  as  to  a  king,  and 
Herod,  hearing  from  the  magi  that 
a  king  was  born,  sought  to  kill 
him.  But  his  father  Joseph,  know- 
ing thereof,  took  him  and  his  mother 
and  fled  to  Eg\'l)t.  And  Herod 
hearing  of  it  destroyed  the  children 
in  Bethlehem. 

{jl7id  Pilalc  hearinff  these  toords 
from  the  Jews  wasfrightfuied. 
And  Pilate  silencing  the  multi- 


TARIS   D. 

should  free  him  he  (becomes 
king)"  will  take  the  kingdom  of 
CiB.sar. 

Pilate  thereupon  got  angry,  and 
si)oke  :  *8  Your  race  was  always 
devilish  and  faithless,  and  you  were 
always  adversaries  of  your  benefac- 
tors. 

The  Hebrews  spoke  :  And  who 
were  our  benefactors  ? 

Pilate  says  :  God,  who  freed  [you] 
from  the  hand  of  Pluiraoli,  and 
passed  you  through  the  Red  Sea  as 
if  on  dry  land,  and  fed  you  *^  .  .  . 
with  water  from  the  rock  and  who 
gave  you  a  law,  which  you  disre- 
garded, denying  God  ;  and,  unless 
Moses  had  stood  beseeching  God, 
you  would  all  have  peiished  by  a 
bitter  death.  You,  indeed,  forget 
all  those  things,  and  after  the  sauie 
manner,  say  now  that  1  do  not  love 
Cassar,  but  hate  him,  and  wish  to 
plot  against  his  authority. 


And  having  said  these  things 
Pihite  rose  in  anger  from  his  seat, 
wishing  to  fly  from  them. 

The  Jews  thereupon  cried  out  : 
We  wish  Ciiesar  to  reign  over  us 
and  not  Jesus,  because  Jesus  re- 
ceived gifts  fi'om  the  magi.  And 
Herod  also  heard  this,  that  he 
would  become  a  king  and  [Herod] 
wished  to  put  him  to  death  and, 
to  this  end,  sent  and  killed  all  the 
children  in  Bethlehem.  And  on 
this  account  Joseph,  his  father,  and 
his  mother  fled,  from  fear  of  these 
things,  into  Egypt. 

Pilate  therefore,  hearing  such 
statements,  and  being  frightened, 
silenced   the    people    [and    said]  : 


*''  Either  two  texts  are  copied  or  and  must  be  supplied,  which  Thilo 
has  done. 

**  The  remarks  of  Pilate  were  doubtless  interpolated,  not  long  after 
the  Jewish  rebellion  against  Hadrian,  at  a  time  when  some  Christians 
addressed  the  Jews  in  a  similar  strain. 

*'  The  MS.  must  have  omitted  something. 


§10.] 


EFFORT   OF   PILATE   TO    SAVE   JESUS. 


127 


PARIS   A. 
tudes  because  of  their  crying  out, 
says  :)  ^■'  So,  this  is  he  whom  Herod 
sought  ? 

The  Jews  say  :  Yes,  this  is  he. 


Then  Pilate,  taking  water, 
washed  his  hands  publicly,'" 
saying  :  I  am  innocent  of  the 
blood  of  this  just  man.  You 
shall  see  [to  it,  or,  the  result  of 
it]. 


And  again  the  Jews  cry  out, 
that  his  blood  [be]  on  us  and  on 
our  children. 


PARIS   D. 
Then  this  is  the  Jesus  whom  Herod 
at  that  time  sought  to  kill  ? 

They  say  to  him  :  Yes. 

Pilate,  therefore,  becoming  aware 
that  he  [Jesus]  belonged  to  Herod's 
jurisdiction,  because  descended  from 
the  race  of  Jcivs,^^  sent  Jesus  to 
him. 

And  Herod  having  seen  him  re- 
joiced greatly,  for  he  had  been  de- 
siring to  see  him,  hearing  of  the 
miracles  which  he  was  accustomed 
to  pei-form.  Therefore  he  clothed 
him  with  white  garments,  and  be- 
gan to  ask  him  :  Whence  are  you, 
and  of  what  race  ? 

But  Jesus  gave  him  no  answer. 

But  Herod  wishing  to  see  some 
miracle,  such  as  [had  been]  formerly 
performed  by  Christ,  and  not  seeing 
[any],  but  [perceiving]  that  he  did 
not  even  give  him  a  civil  answei", 
sent  him  again  to  Pilate. 

But  the  people  cried  out  :  Let 
him  be  crucified. 

Pilate,  noting  this,  spoke  to 
his  servants  to  bring  water,  and 
these  brought  it.  Washing  his 
hands,  therefore,  with  the  water, 
he  said  to  the  people :  I  am  in- 
nocent of  the  blood  of  this  excel- 
lent man.  You  shall  see  that 
you  are  murdering  this  man  un- 
justly, 

since  neither  did  I  find 
fault  in  him,  nor  yet  Herod.  For 
on  this  account  [Herod]  sent  this 
man  back  to  me. 

The  Jews  spoke :  His  blood 
[be]  upon  us  and  upon  our  chil- 
dren. 

But  the  chief  priests  raised  an 
uproar  among  the  people,  that  they 
should  destroy  him  jiromptly. 


6''  Monac.  B. 

*i  This  is  a  sample  of  mistakes  which  would  have  found  i)lacc  in  the 
Gospels,  had  they  been  of  late  origin. 

^  Literally,  in  presence  of  the  sun,  or,  to  use  a  modern  expression,  in 
sight  of  heaven. 


128 


ACTS   OF   PILATE. 


[note  a. 


FARIS  A. 


PARIS  D. 

And  the  people  again  to  Pi- 
late [...?] 

Tlien  says  Pilate  to  Jesus  :  You 
are  the  king  of  thc^  Jews  ? 

But  Jesus  gave  him  no  answer. 

Pihite  says  :  Do  you  not  speak  to 
me  ?  Do  you  not  know  that  1  liave 
authority  to  crueil'y  you  and  au- 
tliority  to  free  you  ? 

Jesus  spolve  to  liini  :  You  have 
not  a  particle  of  autliority  against 
me,  except  what  was  given  you 
from  ahove. 


§  11.  Crucifixion  of  Jesus. 


Then  Pilate  commanded  the 
accused  ^'  to  be  brought  before 
the  tribunal  where  he  was  sit- 
ting. 


and  gave  judgment  as  fol- 
lows against  Jesus. 

Sentence  by  Pilate.  Your 
own  nation  has  convicted  you  as 
[claiming  to  b-j]  a  king,  and  on 
this  account  I  have  decreed  that 
he [youj 

be  first  scourged, 
because  of  the  ordinance  of  the 
pious  kings,  and  then 

be  hung  on  a  cross, 

in  the  garden  where  he  was  seized 
and  two  malefactors  with  him.^* 


Then  Pilate  seated  himself  on 
his  olhcial  seat,  that  he  might 
give  judgment  against  Jesus. 
He  decreed,  therefore,  and  Jesus 
came  before  hiin. 

And  Ihcij  brouffhi  a  croum  of 
thorns  and  placed  it  upon  his  head 
and  a  reed  upon  [i?i  his^  right 
hand. 

Then  he  gave  judgment,  and 
says  to  hiui : 

Your  race  says  and 
testifies  [concerning]  you  that 
you  wish  to  reign.  On  this  ac- 
count I  decree  that 

they  shall  first  strike  you 
with  a  staff  forty  blows,  as  the 
laws  of  the  kings  decree,  and  that 
they  shall  make  sport  of  you,  and 
finally  that 

they  shall  crucify  you. 


Such  judgment,  therefore,  from 
Pilate  having  taken  place,  the 
Jews  began  to  strike  Jesus,  some 
with  staves,  others  with  their 
hands,  others  with  their  feet,  and 
others  spit  in  his  face. 


^  Td  B^Xoi/.     The  translation  is  conjectural. 

**  "  Let  Dysmas  and  Stegas,  the  two  malefactors,  be  crucified  with 
you."  —  Monac.  A. 


§11.] 


CRUCIFIXION   OF  JESUS. 


129 


PARIS   A. 

And    immediately    they 
Jesus  from  the  Practorium 
with  the  two  malefactors. 


led 


And, 
when  they  arrived  at  the  spot, 


the  soldiers  divested  Jesus  of  his 
garments,  and  girded  him  with 
a  linen  cloth, 

and  encircled  his 
head  with  a  crown  of  thorns, 


PARIS    D. 

Immediately,  therefore,  hav- 
ing prepared  a  cross,  they  took 
[him J  away  to  crucify  him.  And 
having  given  this  [the  cross]  to 
him,  they  hurried  to  be  on  their 
way. 

And  as  he  was  thus  going,  car- 
rying also  his  cross,  he  came  to  the 
gate  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  But 
as  he  was  not  able  to  walk,  because 
of  the  many  blows,  and  because  of 
the  weight  of  the  cross,  these  [peo- 
ple] because  of  the  desire  which 
the  Jews  had  to  crucify  him,  meet- 
ing 55  a  certain  man, — a  Cyrenian 
named  Simon,  who  was  coming 
from  the  country,  who  had  two 
sons,  Alexander  and  Kufus,  {and  he 
was  from  the  city  of  Cyrcnc)  —  gave 
him,  therefore,  the  cross.  Not  out 
of  compassion  towards  Jesus,  and 
to  lighten  him  of  the  burden,  but 
desiring,  as  has  been  said,  to  mur- 
der him  sooner,  they  impressed 
Simon  that  he  should  carry  his 
cross.  And  they  bring  him  to  the 
place  Golgotha,  which  translated  is, 
Place  of  a  SkulL^s 

Then  they  reached  safely  the 
place  called  Skull,  which  was 
strown  \_or,  paved]  with  stones  ; 
and  there  the  Jews  placed  the 
cross. 

And  the  soldiers  took  off  his 
garments  and  divided  these 
things  among  themselves. 


And  they  offered  him  to  drink 
wine  mingled  with  myrrh,  which 
he  ilid  not  take. 

And  they  put  on  him  a  purple 


^5  The  Greek  is  ungrammatical  and  confused,  owing  ajiparently  to  the 
mingling  of  two,  or  more,  narratives. 

^^  Here  follows  in  ruris  1)  an  interpolation  which  must  be  later  by 
several  centuries  than  the  original  document,  for  it  styles  Mary  Mother 
of  God. 


130 


ACTS   OF  PILATE. 


[note  a. 


PARIS   A. 


aod  crucified  him,  and  at  the 


same  time  suspended  the  (?)  two 
malefactors  with  him. 


PARIS  D. 
cloak,  that  is  a  purple  Eosos 
[Kasos  ?],  and  weaving  a  crown  of 
thorns  they  put  it  on  his  head,  and 
bending  their  knees  before  him 
they  mocked  him,  saying  :  Hail, 
king  of  the  Jews  !  And  spitting  on 
him,  they  took  a  reed  and  struck 
him  on  his  head.  And  after  tliey 
had  mocked  him  they  took  off  the 
cloak,  that  is  the  Kasos  [Rosos  ?], 
which  is  called  purple.  And  they 
put  on  him  his  own  garments  and 
led  him  away  that  he  might  be  cru- 
cified. And  crucifying  lum  they 
divided  his  garments,  casting  lots 
upon  them  [to  determine]  what  each 
one  should  take.^'' 

And  it  was  the  sixth  ^  hour  of 
the  day.  They  lilted  him  on 
the  cross,  and  crucifying  him 
destroyed  *  him. 

And  the  inscription  of  his  alleged 
crime  was  written  over  him  in 
Greek  and  Romaic  and  Hebrew 
letters,  saying.  This  is  the  king  of 
the  Jews. 

And  they  crucified  with  him 
two  robbers,  one  on  the  right 
and  one  on  the  left. 

And  the  passers-by  uttered  abus- 
ive language  towards  him,  shaking 
their  heads  and  saying  :  Oh,  you, 
who  destroy  the  temple  and  build  it 
again  in  three  days,  save  yourself 
and  descend  from  the  cross.  In  like 
manner  the  chief  j)riests  with  the 
scribes  said  mockingly  to  each  other: 
The  Christ,  the  son  of  Israel,  saved 
others.  He  cannot  save  himself. 
Let  him  descend  from  the  cros.s, 
that  we  may  see  and  believe  him,** 


^■^  The  reference  by  Justin  Martyr  (Jpol.  1,  :?.">)  to  this  passage  implies 
that  in  the  middle  of  the  secoiul  century  it  was  to  be  found,  in  the  Ads 
of  Pihitc,  corresponding  ajjparently  with  the  text  here  given. 

^  The  manuscript  here  uses  a  numeral. 

^'  The  translation  of  this  word  is  conjectural. 

•"^  Here  follows  in  Paris  D  an  interpolation  of  monkish  times,  a  long 
lamentation  by  the  "  Mother  of  God." 


§11.] 


CRUCIFIXION   OF  JESUS. 


131 


PARIS   A. 
But  Jesus  said  :  Father,  forgive 
them,  for  they  know  not  what  they 
do. 


And  the  soldiers  divided  his 
garments. 

And  the  people  stood  looking  on. 
And  the  chief  priests  and  elders 
of  the  people  sneered  at  him  say- 
ing :  He  saved  others  and  cannot 
save  himself.  If  he  is  the  Son 
of  God,  let  him  descend  from  the 
cross  and  we  will  believe  on  him. 
And  the  soldiers  made  game  of 
him,  coming  and  olleringhim  vine- 
gar and  gall  and  saying  :  If  you 
are  the  Christ,  the  king  of  the 
Jews,  save  yourself. 

And  Pilate,  after  the  sentence, 
commanded  an  inscription  to  be 
written,  the  charge  against  him, 
in  Greek  letters.*"^ 

And  a  certain  one  of  the  sus- 
pended malefa(!tors,  Gestas  by 
name,  said  to  Jesus  :  If  you  are  the 
Christ  save  yourself  and  us. 


But  Demas,  the  other,  answer- 
ing, rebuked  him,  saying  :  Have 
}'ou  no  fear  of  (Jod,  because  of 
being  under  the  same  condemna- 
tion ?  And  we  [are  condemned] 
justly,  for  we  receive  the  proper 
[consequences]  of  what  we  have 
done.  But  this  man  has  commit- 
ted no  crime.  And  he  said  to 
Jesus,  Remember  me,  Lord,  when 
you  shall  come  in  your  kingdom. 

Jesus   spoke   to   him  :   Verily    I 


PARIS  D. 

Then  Jesus  cried  with  a  loud 
voice  :  Do  not  charge  this  sin  to 
them,  for  the  wretched  [ones]  do 
not  know  what  they  are  doing. 

Then  he  says  :  I  am  thirsty. 
And  immediately  one  of  the  sol- 
diers ran,  and  taking  a  sponge  and 
filling  it,  and  placing  it  on  a  reed, 
gave  him  to  drink.  And  having 
tasted  he  did  not  wish  to  drink. 


But  the  Jews  standing  and  look- 
ing on  ridiculed  him  and  said  :  If 
you  said  truly  that  you  are  the  Son 
of  t!od,  descend  from  the  cross,  and 
immediately,  that  we  may  believe 
on  you.  Others  ridiculing  him, 
said  :  He  saved  others,  he  cured 
and  healed  others,  infirm,  palsied, 
lepers,  demoniacs,  blind,  lame, 
dead,  and  he  cannot  likewise  save 
himself. 


And  the  robber,  crucified  on  his 
left  hand,  said  to  him  :  If  you  are 
the  Son  of  God,  descend  from  the 
cross  and  save  j^ourself  and  us. 
His  name  was  Gestas.  But  the 
robber  crucified  on  the  right,  named 
Dysmas,  reproached  that  same  rob- 
ber, saying :  0  miserable  and 
wretched  [man],  do  you  not  fear 
God  ?  We  indeed  have  done  things 
which  deserve  what  we  suffer.  But 
he  has  done  and  committed  no 
crime  whatever.  And  this  robber 
on  the  right  turning,  addressed 
and  says  to  Jesus  :  Lord,  remem- 
ber me  when  you  shall  come  in 
your  kingdom.  But  Jesus  spoke 
to   him  :  So   be  it  :   I  say  to  you, 


*^  "  In  Romaic  and  Hebrew  letters,  that,  in  accordance  with  what  the 
Jews  stated  he  is  king  of  the  Jews." —  Monac.  B.  The  same  with  omission 
of  "  and  Hebrew  "  is  found  in  Monac.  A. 


132 


ACTS   OF   PILATE. 


[note  a. 


PARIS   A. 
say  to  you,    Deiiius  :    To-day  you 
shall  be  with  me  in  Paradise.''^ 


PARIS   D. 
this  day  you  shall   be  with  me  in 
raiadise.*'^ 

Then  Jesus  crying  with  a  loud 
voici!,  spoke  :  Father,  into  thy 
hands  will  I  commit  my  spirit. 
And  with  this  utterance  he  ex- 
pired.    [Cp.  §  12  of  Paris  A.] 


§  12.  Acco7npaniments  of  the  Crucifixion. 


And 
hour. 


it  was  about  the  sixth 


And  darkness  took  place 
upon  the  earth  until  the  ninth 
hour,  the  sun  being  darkened. 
And  the  veil  of  the  temple  was 
rent  in  two  from  top  to  bottom. 

And  Jesus  crying  with  a  loud 
voice,  spoke :  Father,  into  thy 
hands  I  commit  my  spirit.  And 
having  said  this  he  gave  up  the 
spirit.  «5    [Cp.  §  11  of  Paris  D.] 

The  centurion,  seeing  what  took 
place,  glorified  God,  saying  that  : 
This  man  is  just.  And  all  the 
ciowds  who  were  passing  to  see 
this  spectacle,  when  they  saw  the 
occurrences,  returned,  beating  their 
breasts. 


And  it  was  about  the  sixth 
hour.  And  immediately  a  very 
great  eartlK^uake  occurred  over 
the  whole  earth,  so  that  the 
whole  world  shuddered.  And 
because  of  the  excessive  earth- 
quake the  rocks  were  rent  and 
the  sepulchres  were  opened,  and 
many  bodies  of  the  Just  were 
awakened,**  and  the  sun  was 
darkened,  and  the  veil  of  the 
temple  was  rent  in  the  middle, 
and  the  darkness  occurred  over 
the  whole  earth  until  the  ninth 
hour. 


And  these  things  having  taken 
place,  the  Jews  being  frightened, 
some  of  them  said  that  "  in  reality 
this  man  was  just."  Longinus, 
the  centurion,  standing  up  boldly, 
spoke  :  Truly,  this  man  was  Son  of 
God.  Others  coming  and  seeing 
him,  [commenced]  beating  their 
breasts,  and  immediately  turned 
back  again  from  fear. 


''2  This  can  scarcely  have  been  added  before  the  fourth  century.  See 
Underworld  Mission,  pp.  144,  145  ;  3d  edit.  pp.  138,  139. 

fi^  Another  monkish  interpolation  of  Paris  D  occurs  here.  It  narrates 
that  when  Joseph  and  the  "  Mother  of  God  "  fled  to  Egypt  thirty-three 
years  jircviously,  tlie  leprous  child  of  the  right-hand  robber  was  cured  by 
being  washed  in  the  same  water  which  had  been  used  for  the  infant 
Jesus. 

®*  The  genuineness  of  the  similar  passage  in  Matthew  27,  TjJ,  ."v!,  has 
been  questioned.  See  Norton,  Genuineness  of  the  Gospels,  Vol.  1,  Appen- 
dix, Note  A,  Section  v. 

«&  In  some  of  the  MSS.  the  Hebrew  of  Psalm  31,  T-,  {Scidvxigint,  30,  c) 
is  here  copied  with  the  Greek  appended  as  a  translation. 


§12.] 


ACCOMPANIMENTS   OF   THE   CRUCIFIXION. 


1^ 


PAUrS   A. 

But  the  centurion  reported  to 
the  governor  all  the  occurrences. 
And  the  governor  and  his  wife 
hearing  of  it  were  grieved  [de- 
pressed ?]  and  neither  ate  nor 
drank  on  that  day.  And  Pilate 
suniuiouing  the  Jews  spoke  to 
them  :  You  have  beheld  the  oc- 
cuirences. 


But  they  spoke  to  him:  An 
eclipse  of  the  sun  has  taken 
place,  a  usual  tiling.*^ 


PARIS   D. 

But  the  centurion,  having  no- 
ticed all  such  wonders,  going  to 
Pilate,  narrated  these  things. 
But  he  hearing  [the  narration] 
wondered  and  was  astounded, 
and  because  of  his  fear  and  griei, 
would  not  eat  nor  diink  on  tliat 
day.  He  gave  notice,  moreover, 
and  the  whole  Sanhedrim  came 
so  soon  as  the  darkness  had 
passed.  And  Pilate  spoke  to  the 
2)eo2)le :  You  see  how  a  great 
earth(|uake  took  place  ;  You  see 
how  the  veil  of  the  temple  was 
rent  in  the  midst ;  You  see  hoAV 
darkness  took  place  over  the  in- 
habited earth  from  the  sixth  to 
the  ninth  hour.  In  reality  I  did 
well  in  exhorting  you  not  to 
murder  the  excellent  man. 

But  all  the  miscreants  were 
utterly  unbelieving.  On  the 
contrary  they  said  to  Pilate, 
that :  Such  darkness  is  an  eclipse 
of  the  sun,  similar  to  what  has 
occurred  in  other  times. 

Pilate  says  to  them :  If  this 
darkness  be  an  eclipse  of  the 
sun  as  you  say,  what  do  you 
pronounce  the  other  marvels  and 
shuddering  prodigies  ? 

And  they  had  nothing  to  an- 
swer. 

And  while  he  was  saying  these 
things,  the  Jews  coining  and  {?) 
spoke  to  Pilate  :  Jly  Lord,  they  did 
not  write  properly  the  inscription 
above  the  head  of  Jesus,  for  it  tes- 
tifies tliat  he  is  our  king.  There- 
fore we  beseech  you,  that  you  de- 
cree and  write  there,  that  he  said 
that  he  was  king  of  the  Jews. 


^  This  oversight  was  subsequently  remedied  in  some  copies  by  an  in- 
terpolation. According:; to  Monac.  A,  "Pilate  .said  to  them  :  Foulest  of 
men,  this  is  your  truthfulness  in  all  things.  I  know  that  this  never  oc- 
curs except  at  new  moon  [literally,  at  the  moon's  birth].  You  ate  your 
passover  yesterday  on  the  fourteenth  of  the  month,  and  [yet]  you  say  an 
eclipse  of  the  sun  occurred."  —  Thilo,  p.  594,  n. 


134 


ACTS   OF  PILATE. 


[note 


FABIS  A. 


PARIS   D. 

Pilate  said  to  them  :  What  I  have 
written,  I  have  written. 

Tlien  they  say  to  him  :  We  have 
the  least  of  unleavened  bread  all 
of  to-niorrovv,  and  we  beseech  you, 
since  the  crucilied  yet  breathe,  that 
their  bones  may  be  broken,  and 
that  they  may  be  taken  down. 

Pilate  spoke  :  Let  this  take  place. 
He  sent  soldiers,  therefore,  and 
they  found  the  jobbers  breathing, 
and  broke  their  luubs.  But  hnil- 
ing  Jesus  dead,  they  did  not  touch 
him.  Then  one  soldier  leaving  [his 
companions]  pierced  Jesus  also 
with  a  s2)ear  in  the  right  side,  and 
immediately  there  came  out  blood 
and  water. 


§  13.   Joseph  esteems  and  buries  Jesus. 


And,  behold,  a  man  named 
Joseph,  a  councillor,  a  good  and 
just  man, 


this  man  had  not  as- 
sented to  their  design  nor  action 
—  from  Arimathea,  a  city  of  the 
Jews  —  himself  also  awaiting  the 
kingdom  of  God,  this  man 


And  towards  evening  of  the 
Preparation,  that  was  closing, 
Joseph,  a  certain  well-born  and 
wealthy  man,  a  Monotheist,  a  Jew, 
finding  the  Nicodemus  whom  the 
previous  treatise  has  made  known, 
says  to  him :  I  know  that  you 
loved  Jesus  while  he  was  alive, 
and  I  saw  you  combating  the 
Jews  on  his  account.  If  it 
seems  good  to  you,  therefore,  let 
us  go  to  Pilate  and  ask  the  body 
of  Jesus  for  burial,  since  it  is  a 
great  sin  that  it  shoiild  be  un- 
buried. 


I  am  afraid,  says  Nicodemus, 
lest  [owing  to]  Pilate  being 
angry  I  should  sufl'er  some  in- 
jury. But  if  you,  going  alone 
and  asking,  should  receive  tlie 
dead,  then  I  will  accompany 
you  and  will  co-operate  in  per- 


§13.] 


JOSEPH   ESTEEMS  AND   BURIES   JESUS. 


135 


PARIS   A. 


coming  to  Pilate,  re- 
quested the  Lody  of  Jesus.  And 
Pilate  permitted  [or,  directed] 
that  the  body  be  given  him. 
And  taking  it  he  wrapped  it  in 
pure  linen  and  placed  it  in  a 
rock-hewn  sepulchre,  in  which 
no  one  had  ever  yet  been. 

And  the  Jews,  hearing  that 
Joseph  had  asked  for  the  body 
of  Jesus,  were  seeking  for  him 
also, 


and  for  the  twelve  who  liad 
said  that  Jesus  was  not  born  of  for- 
nication, and  for  Nicodemus  and 
many  others,  who,  s])rinti;ing  for- 
ward before  Pilate,  had  made  mani- 
fest his  good  works. 

And  all  [others  of  them]  having 
concealed  themselves,  Nicodenms 
only  made  his  appearance  to  t)iem, 
because  he  was  a  ruling  man  of  the 
Jews.  And  Nicodemus  says  to 
them  :  How  can  you  [dare]  enter 
the  synagogue  ? 

The  Jews  say  :  How  do  you 
[dare]  enter  the  synagogue  ?  For 
you   are  his    accomiilice    and    his 

{)ortion  [be]  yours  in  the  future 
ife. 
Nicodemus  says  :  Amen,  Amen. 
In  like  manner  Joseph,  coming 
forward  from  [his  concealment  ?]*''* 
said  to  them  :  Why  are  you  vexed 
at  me  because  I  asked  the  body  of 
Jesus  ?  Behold,  I  put  it  in  my 
sepuh^hre,  wrapped  it  in  i)ure  linen, 
and   I    rolled   a   stone  against  the 


PARIS   D. 

forming  thoroughly    all 
appropriate  to  burial."' 


things 


The  Jews  having  learned  that 
these  things  had  been  done  by 
Joseph  and  Nicodemus,  were 
very  indignant  at  them,  and  the 
high-priests,  Annas  and  Caiaphas, 
manifesting  [it]  to  Joseph,  s])oke 
to  him :  Why  did  you  perform 
this  sepulture  for  the  dead 
Jesus  ? 


^^  Here  follows  a  passage  in  which  Mary  is  called  Mother  of  God. 
is  of  course  later  by  centuries  than  the  original  document. 
68  IlapeK^ds. 


It 


136 


ACTS   OF  PILATE. 


[note 


PARIS  A. 
door  of  the  sepulchre.  And  you 
hiive  not  done  well  towards  the 
jn.st  num,  tliat  liaving  erucilied 
him  you  <lid  not  repent,  but  raised 
a  spear  against  him. 


The  Jews,  having  heard  these 
things  frona  Joseph,  iiimiediately 
seizing  him,  connnanded  that  he 
be  made  safe  until  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  saying  :  The  hour  does 
not  permit  doing  anything  against 
you,  because  the  sabbath  is  about 
dawning,  and  you  will  not  be 
deemed  worthy  of  sepulture,  but 
we  will  give  your  flesh  to  the  birds 
of  heaven. 

Joseph  says  to  them  :  This  is  the 
speech  of  the  arrogant  Goliatli,  who 
uttered  contumely  towards  the  liv- 
ing God  and  the  holy  David.  But 
God  spoke  through  the  prophets  ; 
To  me  [belongs]  thorough  ven- 
geance ;  1  will  repay,  says  the  Lord. 
And  now  the  uncircumcised  in 
flesh,  but  circumcised  in  lieait, 
taking  water,  washed  his  hands  in 
presence  of  the  sun,  saying  :  I  am 
innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just 
man,  you  shall  see.  And  answer- 
ing Pilate  you  said  :  His  blood  [be] 
upon  us  and  upon  our  children. 
And  now  I  fear  lest  the  anger  of 
the  Lord  be  close  upon  you  and 
upon  your  children,  in  accordance 
with  your  speech. 

But  the  Jews  having  heard  these 
words   were   embittered   in    spirit, 

and  laying  hold  of  Joseph, 
seized  him  and  shut  bim  into  a 
house  where  there  wa3  no  win- 


Joseph  says :  I  knew  Jesus 
[to  be]  a  just  man,  true  and  good 
in  all  things,  and  I  knew  you, 
that  from  envy  you  accomplished 
his  murder,  and  thereiore  I  took 
charge  of  hrs  burial. 


Then  the  high-priests  getting 
angry  and  seizing  Joseph,  threw 
liim  into  prison  and  said  to  him  : 
If  we  do  not  to-morrow  murder 
you  as  we  did  him  I  Fi)r  the 
present  remain  imder  guard,  but 


§  13.]  JOSEPH   ESTEEMS   AND   BURIES  JESUS.  137 

PARIS   A.  PARIS   D. 

on  the  Lord's  Day  ^  early  you 

will  be  delivered  to  death.  They 

spoke  these  things,  and  marked 

dow.     And  guards  remained  at     with   a  seal   the   prison,  which 

the  door.  was   secured   by  all  manner  of 

keys. 

The  Preparation  having  come 
therefore  thns  to  an  end,  the 
Jews,  early  on  the  sabbath,  went 
off  to  Pilate  and  spoke  to  hiui : 
That  deceiver,  while  yet  alive, 
spoke  [to  the  effect]  that  after 
three  days  he  should  be  raised. 
Lest  his  disciples,  stealing  him  f)y 
night,  should  mislead  the  i)eople 
by  such  a  falsehood,  command, 
we  pray  you,  that  his  sepulchre 
be  guarded. 

Pilate,  therefore,  gave  them 
five  hundred  soldiers,  who  seated 
themselves  on  the  sepulchre  to 
guard  it.  Placing  also  seals 
[u])on]tbe  stone  of  the  sepulchre, 
they  guarded  it  during  the  sab- 
bath until  the  first  dawn  of  the 
Lord's  Day. 

After  that  a  great  earthquake 
again  took  place  first,  then  a 
lightning-bearing  angel  of  the 
Lord  came  from  heaven  and 
rolled  the  stone  from  the  sep- 
ulchre and  sat  upon  it.  And 
from  [fear]  of  the  angel  the  sol- 
diers became  as  dead.  Then  the 
Lord  arose,  wakened  Adam  and 
all  the  prophets,  whom  the  devil 
had  in  his  power.  He  there 
wakened  also  all  believers  on 
him." 

"^  Anachronisms  like  this  would  have  crept  into  the  Gospc^ls  had  they 
been  written  after  tlie  lirst  century. 

''^  The  original  document  seems  to  have  ended  here.     The  following 
doxology  is  subjoined  in  Parifi  D  and  Cod.   Vmict.  : 
"  The  name  of  the  Lonl  lie  ])rai.se<l 
With  liis  Fatlier  and  tlie  all  holy  spirit 
Now  and  always  and  to  ages  of  ages." 
as  also  the  following  subscription  in  Paris  D  : 

"  End  of  the  Holy  Sufferings  and  beginning  of  His  resurrection  ;  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 


138 


ACTS   OF  PILATE. 


[note  a. 


§  14.    Heathens  testify  to  the  Resurrection. 


And  on  the  sabbatli  the  chiefs 
of  the  synagogue  and  priests 
and  Levites  decreed  that  all 
should  assemble  [literally,  be 
found]  in  the  synagogue  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week.  And  ris- 
ing early,  all  jdotted  in  the 
synagogue,  by  what  death  they 
should  kill  Joseph. 

And  while  the  council  [or  Sanhe- 
drim] was  sitting,  they  commanded 
him  to  be  brought  with  nuicli  igno- 
miny. And  having  opened  tlie 
door  they  did  not  find  him.  And 
the  whole  peopleAvas  astounded,  and 
tliey  became  amazed,  because  they 
found  the  seals  and  doors  sealed, 
and  that  Caiaphas  had  the  key. 
And  for  the  rest,  they  no  longer 
dared  to  lay  their  hands  on  those 
who  had  spoken  before  Pilate  con- 
cerning Jesus. 

And  while  they  were  yet  sit- 
ting in  the  synagogue, 

and  wonder- 
ing on  account  of  Joseph, 

some  of  the 
guard  came,  whom  the  Jews  had 
requested  from  Pilate  to  watch 
the  sepulchre  of  Jesus,  lest  the 
disciples  coming  should  steal  him. 
And  they  announced  to  the  chiefs 
of  the  synagogue  and  priests  and 
Levites,  stating  the  events  which 
had  taken  place,  how  "  a  great 
earthquake  occurred  while  we 
were  w-atching  the  sepulchre,  and 
we  saw  how  an  angel  descended 
from  heaven  and  rolled  away  the 
stone  from  the  door  of  the  sep- 
ulchre and  he  sat  upon  it. 

And  his  appearance  was  like 
lightning,  and  his  garment  white 
as  snow,  and  from  fear  of  him  we 
became  as  dead.''^ 


When,  therefore,  the  Lord's 
Day  dawned,  the  chief  [or  high] 
priests  held  a  council  with  the 
Jews,  and  sent  to  put  Jose})h  out 
of  prison,  for  the  purpose  of  kill- 
ing him.  And  having  opened 
[it]  they  did  not  find  him.  And 
they  were  surprised  at  this,  as  to 
how,  the  doors  being  shut  and 
the  keys  safe,  and  the  seals  hav- 
ing been  found  [unbroken]  hut 
Joseph  was  become  invisible. 


Antl  hereupon  a  soldier,  one 
of  those  who  had  guarded  the 
sepulchre,  coming  up,  spoke  in 
the  synagogue  :  Learn  that  Jesus 
has  risen. 

The  Jews  say :  How  ? 


But  he  said :  "  First  a  great 
earthquake  took  place,  then  a 
lightning-bearing  angel  of  the 
Lord  descended  from  heaven, 
rolled  the  stone  [from]  the  sep- 
ulchre and  sat  upon  it,  and  from 
fear  of  him  all  we  soldiers 
became  as  dead,  and 

were  unable 
either  to  fly  or  speak.     And  we 


In  Monac.  A  this  reads,  "and  we  lay  in  great  fright." 


§  14.]      HEATHENS   TESTIFY  TO   THE   RESURRECTION,         139 


PARIS  A. 

And  we  heard  the  angel  saying 
to  the  women  who  stayed  Ijy  the 
tomb  of  Jesus,  and  he  said:  Be 
not  afraid,  for  I  know  that  you 
seek  Jesus  the  crucified.  He  is 
not  here,  for  he  has  risen  in  ac- 
cordance with  what  he  spoke. 
Ap2)roach  ;  see  the  phice  where 
the  Lord  was  lying  ;  and  going 
quickly  speak  to  his  disciples, 
tliat  lie  has  risen  from  the  dead, 
and  behold,  he  precedes  you  into 
Galilee.  There  ye  shall  see  him 
in  accordance  with  what  he  spoke 
to  you." 


The  Jews  say :  To  what  women 
was  he  talking  ? 

The  guards  say  :  We  do  not 
know  who  they  were. 

The  Jews  say  :  Why  did  you  not 
seize  the  women  ? 

The  guards  say  :  We  were  be- 
come as  if  dead  from  fright,  not 
hoping  to  see  the  light  of  day  ;  and 
how  couhl  we  seize  them  ? 

The  Jews  say  :  As  the  Lord  lives 
we  do  not  believe  you. 

The  guards  sa)' :  You  see  so 
many  miracles  in  relation  to  that 
man  and  you  believe  not,  and  how 
can  you  believe  us  ?  For  you  swore 
well  that  as  the  Lord  lives,  we  do 
not  believe  you.  For  the  Lord 
does  live. 

And  again  the  guards  say  :  We 
have  heard  that  you  shut  up  him 
who  asked  for  the  body  of  Jesus, 
.sealing  also  the  door,  and  having 
opened  it,  you  diil  not  find  him. 
Give  us  Joseph,  and  we  will  give 
you  Jesus. 

The  Jews  say  :  We  will  give  you 
Joseph ;  Give  us  Jesus  also. 

Tlie  guards  say  :  First  give  us 
Joseph,  and  then  we  will  give  you 
Jesus  likewise. 


PARIS  D. 
beard   the    angel  saying   to  the 
women,    who    had  come  thither 
to  see  the  sepulchre, 

that :  Be  not 
afraid,  for  I  know  that  you  seek 
Jesus.  He  is  not  here,  but  has 
risen  as  he  told  you  beforehand. 
Bend  down  and  see  the  sepulchre 
where  the  body  of  Jesus  lay. 

Go,  how- 
ever, and  state  to  his  disciples 
that  he  has  risen  from  the  dead, 
and  that  they  shall  go  in  [into] 
Galilee,  for  there  thev  shall  find 
him." 

On  this  account  I  [the  soldier] 
tell  you  this  previously. 

The  Jews  say  to  the  soldiers  : 
What  women  were  they  that  came 
to  the  sepulchre  ? 

and  why  did  you 
not  seize  them  ? 

The  soldiers  say  :  From  feai",  and 
from  the  sight  alone  of  the  angel, 
we  were  unable  to  speak  or  to 
move. 

The  Jews  spoke  :  As  the  Lord 
of  Israel  lives  that  we  believe  noth- 
ing of  what  you  say. 

The  soldiers  say :  Jesus  per- 
formed such  miracles  and  you  did 
not  believe  him,  and  [how]  are  you 
to  believe  us  now  ?  You  say  truly, 
that  God  lives,  and  in  reality  that 
he  truly  lives  whom  you  crucified. 


But  did  we  not  hear  that  you  had 
Joseph  shut  up  in  prison,  then 
0])ening  the  doors  you  did  not  find 
him.  Give  us  Joseph,  and  we  will 
also,  on  this  condition,  give  you 
Jesus. 


140 


ACTS   OF  PILATE. 


[note  a. 


PARIS   A. 
The   Jews   say  :  Joseph   has  de- 
parted to  Ids  own  city. 

The  guards  say  to  the  Jews : 
And  Jesus  is  in  Galilee,  as  we 
heard  from  the  augi-l  who  rolled 
away  the  stone,  that  :  He  precedes 
you  into  Galilee. 

And  the  Jews,  having  heard, 
these  words,  were  greatly  ex- 
citeil,  saying  :  This  account  must 
by  no  means  be  heard  [lestj  all 
he  inclined  towards  Jesus.  And 
holding  a  council  among  them- 
eelves,  they  laid  down  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  silver  and  gave  it  to 
the  soldiers,  saying:  State,  that 
His  disciples,  coming  by  night, 
stole  him  while  we  were  asleep. 
And,  if  this  should  be  heard  by 
the  governor, 


we  will  persuade 
him  and  will  save  you  any  an.\- 
iety. 

But  they  taking  the  silver  did 
as  they  liad  been  taught.  And 
this  report  has  cii'culated  among 
the   Jews  until   the  present 

TIME.'- 


PARIS   D. 

The  Jews  say  :  Joseph,  a  fugi- 
tive fioin  prison,  you  will  find  him 
in  Ariniathca,  his  country. 

The  soldiers  also  say  :  Go  you 
also  to  Galilee  and  you  will  liud 
Jesus,  as  the  angel  stated  to  the 
women. 

Hereupon,  heing  frightened, 
the  Jews  stated  to  the  soldiers  : 
See  that  you  state  to  no  one  this 
account,  and  [lest  ?]  all  shall  be- 
lieve on  Jesus.     To  which  end 


also  they  gave  them  much  sil- 
ver, that  they  might  state  :  While 
we  slept  his  disciples  came  and 
stole  him. 


The  soldiei-s  spoke :  We  fear 
lest  Pilate  should  hear  that  we 
took  silver  and  should  put  us  to 
death. 

The  Jews  spoke  :  Take  it  and 
Ave  pledge  ourselves  to  render  an 
apology  to  Pilate  in  your  behalf. 
Only  state  that  you  slept. 

And  the  soldiers  took  the  sil- 
ver, and  stated  as  they  had  been 
ordered,  and  until  the  present 
DAY  such  a  false  account  is  cir- 
culated by  the  Jews. 


§  15.   Jevjs  testify  to  the  Resurrection. 


But  a  certain  Phineas,  a  priest, 
and  Addas,  a  teacher,  and  Anga;us, 
a  Levite,  coming  down  from  (Jal- 
ilee  into  Jerusalem,  narrated  to 
the  chiefs  of  the  synagogue  and 
to  the  priests  and   Levites,  that 


And,  after  a  few  days,  three 
men  came  from  Galilee  to  Jeru- 
salem. One  was  a  priest  named 
Phineas :  another  a  Levite 
named  AngaMis,  but  the  remain- 
ing one  a  soldier  named  Adas. 
These  came  to  the  chief-priests 
and   stated  to  them  and  to  the 


■^2  The  language  coincides  closely  with  that  of  Matthew,  28,  11-15. 
See  p.  89. 


§15-] 


JEWS  TESTIFY  TO   THE  RESURRECTION. 


141 


PARIS   A. 

they  saw  Jesus  and  his  disciples 
sitting  on  mount  Admonition. 
And    he  said  to  his   disciples : 

Going  into  the  whole  world,  pro- 
claim to  the  creation  that  who- 
ever believes  and  is  baptized  will 
be  saved,  but  the  unbeliever  will 
be  condemned. 


And  these  miracles  shall  follow 
believers.  In  my  name  they  shall 
cast  out  demons,  they  shall  speak 
in  [to  tliein]  new  languages,  and 
shall  take  serpents  into  their  hands, 
and  if  they  shall  drink  anything 
deadly,  it  shall  not  injure  them. 
They  shall  lay  their  hands  on  the 
sick  and  these  shall  get  well. 

While  Jesus  was  yet  speaking 
to  his  disciples,  we  saw  him 
taken  up  into  heaven. 

The  elders  and  priests  and  Le- 
vites  say  :  Give  glory  to  the  God  of 
Israel  and  make  acknowledgment 
to  him  if  ye  have  heard  and  seen 
what  ye  narrate. 

The  narrators  say,  that :  As  the 
Lord  God  of  our  fatliers  lives,  the 
God  of  Abraham  and  the  God  of 
Isaac  and  the  God  of  Jacob,  we 
have  heard  these  things  and  we  saw 
him  taken  up  into  heaven. 

The  Jews  say  :  Did  you  come 
for  this,  to  make  a  glad  announce- 
ment, or  did  you  come  that  you 
might  offer  prayer  to  God  ? 

They  say  :  That  we  may  offer 
prayer  to  God. 

The  Jews  say  to  them  :  To  what 
purpose  then  is  this  silly  talk 
Avhich  you  have  been  nonsensically 
talking  before  all  the  people  ? 

Phineas  says,  as  also  Addas,,  the 
teacher,  and  Angreus  the  Levite,  to 
the  chiefs  of  the  synagogue  and  to 
the  priests  and  Levites  :  If  these 
words  which  we  have  spoken  are 
sinful,  lo,  we  are  before  you.     Do 


PARIS  D. 
people  :  We  saw  in  Galilee  that 
Jesus,  whom  you  crucified,  with 
his  eleven  disciples  on  the  mount 
of  Olives,  teaching  them  and 
saying  :  Go  into  the  w'hole  world 
and  proclaim  the  gospel,  and 
who  believes  and  is  baptized  will 
be  saved,  but  the  unbeliever  will 
be  condemned.  And  having  said 
these  things  he  ascended  to 
heaven. 


And  not  only  we,  but  many 
others  of  the  five  hundred  there, 
saw  hira. 

And  the  chief  priests  and  Jews, 
having  heard  these  things,  s])oke  to 
those  three  men :  Give  glory  to  the 
God  of  Israel,  and  repent  of  these, 
your  falselioods. 

These  three  answered  :  As  lives 
the  Lord  God  of  our  fathers,  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  we  do 
not  falsify  but  tell  you  the  truth. 


142 


PILATE  S   REPORT. 


[note  B. 


PARIS  A. 
to  US  what    seems    good  in  your 
eyes. 

But  they,  taking  [a  book  of\ 
the  Law,  adjured  them  to  nar- 
rate these  accounts  no  I'ui'ther  to 
any  one.  And  they  gave  them 
to  eat  and  drink  and  put  them 
out  of  the  city,  having  given 
them  also  silver  and  three  men 
[who  were]  to  place  them  again 
in  Galilee.  And  they  de- 
parted." 


PARIS   D. 


Then  the  high-priest  adjured 
them,  and  giving  them  money 
sent  them  away  to  another  place, 
that  they  should  not  proclaim 
the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  in 
Jerusalem. 


The  foregoing  not  only  comprises  everything  in  Paris  A 
and  Paris  D,  which  can  reasonably  be  regarded  as  part  of 
the  original  Acts  of  Pilate,  but  includes  many  of  the  additions. 
The  remainder  of  these  documents,  as  printed  by  Thilo,'*  can- 
not have  formed  part  of  the  original  composition. 


NOTE    B. 


PILATE'S   REPORT. 


Aside  from  the  Acts  of  Pilate  which  have  been  given  in  the 
preceding  Note,  a  letter  from  Pontius  Pilate  to  Tiberius  was 
fabricated,  either  as  a  support  to  the  preceding  document  or 
as  an  independent  fraud.     Tertullian  (see  Note  A,  footnote  1) 


■^3  "  And  they  gave  them  to  eat  and  drink,  and  putting  them  out  of  the 
city,  let  them  go,  having  given  them  also  three  men  so  as  to  take  them 
safely  [without  any  talking?]  as  far  as  Galilee."  —  Monac.  A,  Thilo, 
p.  626. 

''*  A  portion  of  the  remainder  is  weak  and  objectless.  A  search 
through  the  country,  pronijited  by  Nicodemus,  finds  nothing  of  Jesus, 
but  does  find  Joseph,  wlio  gives  a  lecture  to  the  murderers  of  Jesus. 

Another  portion  is  a  narrative  by  two  sons  of  that  Simeon,  who  blessed 
Jesus  when  a  child.  Tliey  had  died  and  been  buried  some  time  pre- 
viously. They  were  among  those  raised  at  tlie  resurrection  of  Jesus. 
They  narrate  to  the  Jewish  rulers  the  deeds  of  Jesus  in  the  Underworld, 
of  which  the  reader  will  find  a  brief  abstract  in  Underworld  Mission, 
pp.  161,  162  ;  3d.  edit.  pp.  \bft,  156.  The.se  omitted  portions  consti- 
tute about  half  of  the  whole  document  as  printed  by  Thilo. 


§!•] 


LONGER  LATIN  FORM. 


143 


refers  to  it.  At  present  this  letter  appears  in  several  forms, 
occasioned  perliaps  by  the  different  wants  of  controversialists. 
Tiio  longer  Latin  form  of  the  letter  is  herewith  translated. 
I  understand  Thilo  to  mean  that  he  takes  it  as  given  in  his 
text  from  the  Einsiedlen  MS.,^  and  as  given  in  his  notes  from 
the  Orthodoxographa.^ 


§  1  Longer  Latin  Form. 


Codex  Einsidlensis. 

Pontius  Pilate  to  his  Sovereign 
Claudius,^  Greeting. 

Lately  it  happened  with  my 
sanction  that  the  Jews  through 
envy  punished  themselves  and 
their  posterity  by  cruelly  sen- 
tencing [a  person]  concerning 
whom,  when  their  fathers  had  a 
promise  that  their  God  would 
send  to  them  from  his  holy 
Heaven  [one]  who  should  de- 
servedly be  called  their  king,  and 
had  promised  that  he  would  send 
this  king  to  the  earth  through  a 
virgin.*  When  the  God  of  the 
Hebrews  during  my  procurator- 
ship  had  sent  that  king  into 
Judea,  and  when  the  Hebrews 
had  seen  him  give  light  to  the 
blind,  purify  the  lepers,  cui'e 
paralytics,  drive  demons  out  of 
men,  call  to  life  even  the  dead, 
control  the  winds,  walk  with  dry 
feet  over  waves  of  the  sea,  and 
do  many  otiier  miraculous  won- 
ders, and  when  many  of  the 
Jewish  people  believed  him  to  be 


Monuvicnta  Orthodoxografha. 

Lately  it  happene<l,  of  which 
thing  I  can  bear  testimony,  that 
the  Jews  through  envy  destroyed 
themselves  and  all  their  poster- 
ity by  cruelly  sentencing  [a  per- 
son]. For  when  by  the  promise 
of  oracles  received  by  the  au- 
thority of  their  ancestors  they 
expected  as  follows,  namely,  that 
their  God  would  through  a  young 
virgin  send  [one]  who  should 
justly  be  called  their  king,  he 
sent  this  [person]  into  Judea  dur- 
ing my  presence  there.  He,  as 
is  known  to  all,  restored  sight  to 
the  blind,  cleansed  lepers,  cured 
paralj'tics.  They  saw  him  also 
drive  out  demons  and  lilierate 
those  possessed  by  impure  spirits. 
He  also  resuscitated  from  their 
sepulchres  the  dead.  The  storms 
of  wind  obeyed  him  ;  he  walked 
on  the  sea  with  dry  feet.  He 
did  also  very  many  other  mira- 
cles so  that  he  was  commonly 
called  among  Jews  and  the  com- 
mon people  the  Son  of  God. 


1  Thilo,  p.  796  n.  The  letter,  subjoined  in  this  MS.  to  the  Acts  of 
Pilate,  is  given  in  Thilo,  Cod.  Apoc.  pp.  796  -  800. 

^  Thilo  states,  p.  cxxxiv,  that  he  knows  not  the  MS.  origin  of  the 
Latin  which  he  has  given  in  notes  on  ^ip.  798-800,  and  which  is  here 
translated.  It  is  perhaps  nearer  than  the  Einsiedlen  MS.  to  the  original 
letter. 

3  This  was  a  portion  of  the  fuller  name  Tiberius  Claudius  Csesar. 

*  The  sentence  is  imperfect  in  the  Latin.  In  the  corresponding  pas- 
sage of  tlie  Orthodoxographa  the  expression  is  viri/inevi  juvenculam. 
Possibly  this  may  be  intended  to  mean  an  immature  virgin. 


144 


PILATE'S  RErORT. 


[note  B. 


Codex  Einsidlensis. 
the  Son  of  Gorl,  tlie  cbief  priests 
and  scribes,  and  Pliarisees  of  the 
Jews  experienced  envy  towards 
him,  and  seizing,  delivered  hiiu 
to  me  as  procurator,  and  stated  to 
me  falsely  a  variety  of  things 
CDiicerning  him,  asserting  that  he 
■was  a  magician  and  acted  ^  con- 
trary to  their  law.  I,  however, 
believed  their  charges,  and  de- 
livered him  after  a  scourging  to 
their  decision.  They,  however, 
crucified  him  on  a  wooden  cross  * 
and  burying  hini  when  dt*ad 
jilaced  guards,  the  soldiers  of  my 
Prajtorium  guarding  his  sep- 
idclire  and  sealing  it.  On  the 
third  day  he  arose  from  the 
sepulchre.  The  wickedness  of 
the  Jews,  however,  flamed  out  to 
such  a  degree  that  they  gave 
money  to  my  soldiers,  saying : 
State  that  ^  his  disciples  stole  his 
body  by  night.  But  my  soldiers, 
after  they  had  received  the 
money,  could  not  be  silent  as  to 
the  truth  of  what  had  occurred, 
but  testified  that  he  had  risen 
from  the  sejiiilchre,  and  said  that 
thoy  had  received  money  from 
the  Jews. 

Therefore  I  suggest  to  the 
sovereign  that  no  one  spread  a 
contrary  falsehood  and  decide*  to 
credit  untruths  of  the  Jews. 


Monumenta  Orthodoxographa. 

The  chief  priests,  however, 
moved  by  rivalry  and  envy,  were 
opposed  to  him,  and  delivered 
him,  captured,  to  me,  charging 
him  as  a  criminal  with  fictitious 
crimes  :  they  called  him  a  magi- 
cian, a  renegade  from,  and  trans- 
gressor of,  their  law,  by  which 
persuasions  I,  misled,  credited 
their  complaints  and  delivered 
him,  scourged,  to  them  that  they 
should  proceed  against  him  as 
they  deemed  proper.  But  they 
thereupon  crucified  him  and 
placed  guards  over  the  sepulchre 
in  which  he  was  deposited, 
among  which  guards  also  were 
some  of  my  soldiers,  who  saw 
him  on  the  third  day  rising  from 
the  dead.  The  wickedness  of 
the  Jews,  however,  flamed  out 
the  more  hereupon,  and  they 
paid  a  large  sum  of  money  to 
the  soldiers  as  an  inducement  to 
affirm  that  his  disciples  had 
stolen  the  body  by  night.  The 
soldiers  accepted  the  money,  but 
nevertheless  aftirmed  and  testi- 
fied publicly  everywhere  that 
they  had  seen  visions  of  angels, 
and  that  that  Jesus  had  truly 
risen  from  the  dead. 

I,  however,  have  A\Titten  these 
things  to  the  end  that  no  one 
may  credit  the  triflings  and  false- 


5  For  magnum  read  magnm. 

^  The  words  in  Italics,  omitted  in  one  JIS.,  were  probably  added  dur- 
ing the  rage  for  using  arguments  from  the  Old  Testament.  Compare  in 
Jiiddism,  p.  345,  a  remark  of  Middleton. 

"^  Quia  is  used  here  in  tlie  sense  of  the  Greek  word  on.  If  not  a 
translation  it  would  indicate,  that  Latins  wlio  resided  in  Greek  coun- 
tries, or  Greeks  who  wrote  Latin,  had  affi.xed  this  meaning  to  the 
word. 

®  For  cestimans  read  cestimet.  The  preceding  words  in  Italics  may  be 
an  interpolation.  Otherwise  we  miglit  treat  ct  as  interjwlated  and  trans- 
late "  that  no  one  spread  a  contrary  falseliood  [and'\  deciding  to  credit 
untruths  of  the  Jews." 


§  2.]  SHOKTER  LATIN  FORM.  145 

Codex  Einsidlensis.  Momimenta  Orthodoxographa. 

I  have  directed  to  your  mighti-  hoods  of  the  Jews  if  they  give  a 

ness  [a  record  of]  all   things  done  different  account  of  what  has  oc- 

touching  Jesus  in  my  I'netoriuvi.^  curred.     Farewell. 


§  2.  Sliorter  Latin  Form}^ 

Pontius  Pilate,  Procurator  of  Judea,  to  Tiberius  Caesar, 
Emperor,  S.  P. 

Concerning  Jesns  Christ,  —  on  whom  in  my  last  communi- 
cations I  made  a  plain  declaration  to  you,  that  severe  punish- 
ment WHS  inflicted  by  desire  of  the  people,  I  being  unwilling 
and  reluctant,  —  no  previous  age  had  or  will  have  a  man,  by 
Hercules,  so  pious,  so  [morally]  austere.  But  there  arose  a 
wonderful  effort  of  the  people  itself,  and  a  concurrence  of  the 
scribes  and  chiefs  and  elders,  (although  their  prophets,  who 
according  to  us  would  be  called  Sibyls,  warned  against  it)  to 
crucify  this  ambassador  of  truth,  supernatural  signs  making 
their  appearance  while  he  was  suspended  [on  the  cross],  such 
as  threatened,  in  the  opinion  of  philosophers,  ruin  to  the 
whole  world.  His  disciples  flourish,  not  proving  untrue  in 
woi'k  and  continence  of  life  to  their  master ;  nay,  being  most 
beneficent  in  his  name.  Unless  I  had  been  in  the  iitmost 
fear  lest  a  sedition  should  arise  of  the  people  who  were  almost 
boiling  over,  perchance  that  man  would  still  live  for  us. 
Although  fidelity  to  your  dignity,  rather  than  ray  own  will, 
prevented  my  opposing  with  all  my  strength  the  sale  and  suf- 
fering of  just  blood,  void  of  any  accusation,  merely  through 
the  malignity  of  men  [and]  yet  [to  eventuate],  as  the  Scrip- 
tures make  plain,  in  their  own  destruction.  Farewell.  —  V. 
Cal.  April. 

9  The  paragraph  in  Italics  is  probably  a  later  arldition. 

1"  The  letter  in  this  form  cannot  be  the  one  to  which  Tertullian  (see 
Note  A,  footnote  1)  refers.  Thilo  prints  it  in  his  Codex  Apoerypluis, 
pp.  801,  802.  He  mentions  that  it  is  nowhere  found  appended  in 
manuscripts  to  the  Acts  of  Pilate,  or,  to  use  his  words,  a  ncminc,  quod 
sciam,  cum  Nicodemi  evangel io  conjuncfa  cat.  The  letters  S.  P.  a[)pended 
to  the  inscription  are  an  abbreviation  probably  of  Salutem  Plurimam, 
"  utmost  prosperity." 


146  PILATE'S  REPORT.  [xOTE   B, 


§  3.  Greek  Form. 

Report  of  Pontius  Pilate,  Procurator  op  Judea,  sent  to 
Tiberius  Caesar,  at  PiOme. 

Pontius  Pilate,  administering  the  Eastern  government,  to 
Tiberius  Caesar,  most  powerful  and  sacred." 

I  have  thought  proper,  filled  [as  I  am]  with  much  fear  and 
trembling,  most  powerful  king,  to  indicate  by  this,  my  own 
writing,  to  your  Practical-piety,  the  puirrjv  contingency  [to 
nature]  *'^  of  this  date  as  the  event  made  it  known. 

While  I,  0  master,  according  to  the  command  of  thy  Seren- 
ity, was  administering  this  eparchy,  {ivliich  is  one  of  the  eastern, 
cities  called  Jerusalem,  in  which  is  situated  the  temple  of  the  Jetc- 
ish  race)  ^^  the  whole  multitude  of  the  Jews  being  assembled, 
delivered  to  me  a  man  named  JesuS;  bringing  many  and  un- 
usual accusations  against  him,  but  they  were  not  able  by  any 
statement  to  convict  him.  There  was  one  party  of  them  [who 
charged]  ^*  against  him  that  he  said  the  sabbath  was  not  their 
true  rest. 

That  man  performed  many  cures  in  addition  to  good 
works.  He  made  the  blind  to  see,  purified  lepers,  raised  the 
dead,  healed  paralytics  who  were  totally  unable  to  move,  ex- 
cept that  they  retained  speech  and  the  articulation  of  their 
bones,  and  he  gave  them  power  to  walk  about  and  run,  im- 
parting it  by  a  mere  word.  He  did  another  more  powerful 
work,  which  was  strange  even  for  our  gods  [to  perform]  :  he 
raised  from  the  dead  a  certain  Lazarus,  dead  since  the  fourth 
day,  commanding  by  a  word  only  the  dead  man  (whose  body 
was  already  destroyed  by  worms  and  vermin)  to  awake,  and 
he  commanded  that  foid-smelling  body  which  was  lying  in  the 
sepulchre  to  run,  and  this  [dead  man],  like  a  bridegroom  from 

1^  The  translation  of  the  title  follows  Codex  C,  which  is  less  bombas- 
tic than  tliiit  ado])ted  by  Thilo.  His  text  for  the  remainder  will  be  found 
in  his  Codex  Aiwc.,\i\,.  804-812.  It  is  there  followed  (pp.  813-816) 
by  a  much  later  document  entitU'd  WapaSocns  WiKdrov,  "Surrender  of 
rilatc,"  which  j-eprescnts  Tiberius  and  the  senate  as  sitting  in  judgment 
on  Pilate  and  liavinghim  i)ut  to  death. 

12  See  Tertullian's  remarks  on  this  "  accident  to  the  world  "  quoted  in 
Judaism,  p.  442. 

1'  The  passage  in  parenthesis  is  probably  a  later  addition. 

1*  This  insertion  seems  necessary  to  the  sense. 


§  3.]  GREEK  FORM.  147 

his  chamber,  came  out  of  the  sepulchre  filled  with  the  most 
fragrant  perfume. 

Also  certain  hopelessly  hisane  who  had  their  dwelling  in 
the  deserts  eating  flesh  of  their  own  limbs,  fellow-livers  with 
the  reptiles  and  wild  beasts,  [these]  he  placed  as  inhabitants 
of  cities  in  their  own  houses,  and  by  a  mere  word,  exhibited 
them  in  their  sound  mind  and  intelligent  ;  and  others,  m 
whom  were  a  crowd  of  unclean  spirits,  he  made  to  be  men  of 
repute,  and  driving  out  the  demons  who  were  in  them  into 
the  sea,  in  a  herd  of  swine,  he  choked  them. 

Also  by  a  mere  word  he  rendered  sound  another  man  who 
had  a  withered  hand,  who  with  pain  acquired  his  living,  not 
even  having  the  half  of  his  body  sound. 

Also  a  woman  who  had  a  flow  of  blood  for  a  great  length  of 
time,  so  that  because  of  it  the  joints  of  her  bones  were  visible, 
and  the  body  which  she  carried  round  had  hardly  a  human 
appearance,  but  looked  like  alabaster,  and  as  if  it  were  a  dead 
body  because  of  her  loss  of  blood,  for  all  physicians  proclaim- 
ing her  hopeless,  paid  no  attention  to  her,  for  there  was  no 
hope  of  preservation  in  her.  Then  as  Jesus  was  passing,  she 
receiving  strength  from  his  shadow,  touched  the  hem  of  his 
garments,  and  in  the  same  hour  the  strength  of  her  body  was 
restored,  and  she  became  sound  as  one  who  had  had  no  dis- 
ease, and  began  to  run  at  full  speed  to  her  own  city  Paneas. 

And  these  things  were  as  narrated,  but  the  Jews  charged 
that  Jesus  did  these  things  on  the  sabbath.  But  I  know 
wonderful  things  done  by  him  beyond  what  the  gods,  whom 
we  recognize,  perform. 

Herod  therefore,  and  Archelaus,  and  Philip,  and  Annas,  and 
Caiaphas,  with  the  whole  people,  delivered  this  man  to  me  for 
examination,  stirring  up  much  tumult  against  me  as  regarded 
their  accusations  against  him. 

At  first  scourging  him,  I  found  no  fault  in  the  matters 
which  they  charged  against  him.  Afterwards  I  gave  him 
again  to  them,  when  they  ^^  had  crucified  whom,  a  darkness 
occurred  over  the  whole  world,  the  full-orbed  sun  being  hid- 
den and  the  firmament  of  dai-kness  appearing  in  daytime  [so 
that  the  stars  were  not  visible],^*'  but  nevertheless  having  its 

^5  Crucifixion  was  a  Roman,  not  a  Jewish  form  of  punishment.  The 
statement  that  the  Jews  crucifieil  Jesus  is  one  of  those  mistakes  wliich 
would  have  crept  into  the  Gospels  had  they  been  of  later  origin. 

^•^  The  bracketed  passage  may  be  an  interpolation.  Codex  C  omits 
not.  If  it  be  genuine  the  translation  should  be,  "so  that  [cirjt]  the 
stars  were  not  visible." 


148  Pilate's  report.  [note  b. 

far-shining  brilliancy  darkened  as  is  not  unknown  to  your 
Practical-piety,  since  in  the  whole  world  they  lighted  lamps 
from  the  sixth  hour  until  early.  And  the  moon  being  as 
blood  did  not  disappear  during  tlie  whole  night,  altliough  she 
was  full.  And  the  whole  world  was  shaken  by  unheard-of 
portents,  and  the  whole  creation  was  about  to  be  swallowed 
up  by  the  underworld  ;  likewise  the  veil  of  their  temple  was 
rent  from  above  downwards  as  thunder  and  a  great  noise  from 
heaven  occurred  so  that  the  earth  shook  and  trembled.^" 

[Subsequent  Addition.] 

In  the  midst  of  the  fright  dead  persons  appeared  rising  up.  As 
the  Jews  themselves,  Avho  hud  seen,  stated  :  That  ■\ve  have  seen 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  tlie  twelve  Patriarchs,  those 
(who  had  previously  died)  after  Moses"  (twenty-five  hundred  years 
ago)  and  many  others.  (And  we  saw  Noah  visilily  in  the  body.) 
But  the  stars  and  Orion  made  lamentation  on  account  of  the  Jews, 
because  of  their  lawlessness. 

And  after  the  sabbath,  about  the  third  hour  of  the  night,  the  sun 
became  visible  as  it  never  before  shone,  and  the  whole  heaven  w.as 
bright.  And  as  winter  lightnings  make  their  appearance,  thus  cer- 
tain men  on  high,  of  brilliant  clothing  and  of  inexpressible  glory, 
appeared  in  the  air,  and  an  unnumbered  multitude  of  angels,  call- 
ing out  :  The  crucified  Christ  has  arisen,  [beivr/  a  godj.  ^'  And  a 
voice  was  heard,  powerful  as  tlnnider,  saying:  Glory  in  the  highest 
to  God  and  upon  earth  peace,  among  men  good-will.  Ascend  from 
the  imderworld,  you  who  have  been  enslaved  in  its  subterranean 
regions.  And  at  their  cry  all  the  luountains  and  hills  were  shaken, 
and  the  rocks  were  rent,  and  niight}^  chasms  took  place  in  the 
earth,  so  that  the  contents  of  the  aliyss  were  visil>le.  And  many 
bodies  of  the  dead  who  had  fallen  asleep  arose,  to  the  number  of 

1"  The  subsequent  portion  of  this  report  must  be  of  later  date,  since  it 
implies  a  well-tleveloped  existing  belief  in  Christ's  mission  to  the  under- 
world, and  bears  jdaiii  traces  of  the  discussions  connected  witli  that  sub- 
ject. Probably  the  original  termination  of  tlie  letter  has  been  displaced 
by  this  new  subject. 

1^  The  reader  will  find  in  the  Undervorld  ifission,  §  TI.,  that  a 
Gnostic  teacher  maintained  the  unwillingness  of  Jews  in  the  underworld 
to  follow  Christ.  In  §  III.  ot  the  same  work  will  be  found  that  some 
restricted  the  benefits  of  his  underworld  mission  to  Jews  and  their  mono- 
theistic ])redecessors.  The  contradiction  in  the  text  has  perhaps  been 
caused  by  efforts  to  include  or  omit  followers  of  Moses.  I-ts  origin  from 
two  texts  niay  be  elucidated  by  ])rinting  as  follows  :  f!5oix€v  .  .  .  rovs  5w- 
S(Ka  narptapxas,  toi'S  [7r/)0TfTf\f cttjkotos]  /uerd,  Mwata  [vpo  Sicx'-^'"^'' 
TTivTaKocrLiav  frCiv]  koI  er^povs  woWods. 

1^  Cod,  A  omits  the  words  in  brackets. 


NOTE  c]  CORRESPONDENCE.  149 

five  humlred,  and  the  whole  multitude  walked  around  and  hymned 
God  with  a  loud  voice,  saying:  Me  who  rose  from  the  dead,  the 
Lord  uar  God,  restored  to  liie  all  of  us  dead,  and  plundering  the 
underworld,  destroyed  it. 

The  whole  of  that  night,  therefore,  O  Royal  Master,  the  light  did 
not  cease,  but  many  of  tlie  Jews  dieil  and  were  engulfed  and  swal- 
lowed up  in  the  chasms  on  that  night,  so  that  their  bodies  were 
not  visible.  Those  of  the  Jews  I  mean,  O  Master,  had  disappeared 
who  spoke  against  Jesus  [so  that  /seemed  to  see  some  vision,  the  mul- 
titudes of  ancient  dead  whom  we  have  never  seen\  One  synagogue  was 
left  in  Jerusalem,  where  all  those  synagogues  which  opposed  Jesus, 
were  swallowed  up. 

Being  therefore  beside  myself  with  fear  and  seized  with  much 
trembling,  determining  that  very  hour  to  write  the  things  which 
were  done  among  them  all,  I  sent  tliem  to  your  mightiness.*" 


NOTE   0. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 

OPENED    BY    KING   ABGARUS    WITH   JESUS. 

The  following  spurious  correspondence  is  found  in  Eusebins 
{Ecc.  Hist.  1, 13),  who  alleges  that  his  (Jreek  is  translated  from 
the  original  Syriac  in  the  public  archives  at  Edessa.  It  must 
behmg  to  the  close  of  the  third  or  beginning  of  the  fourth 
century.  The  translation  here  adopted  is  that  of  Lardner 
altered. 

Copy  op  a  Letter  written  by  Abgarus  the  Toparch  to 
Jesus,  and  sent  to  him  at  Jerusalem  by  the  Courier 
Ananias. 

Abgarus,  Toparch  of  Edessa,  to  Jesus  the  good  Saviour, 
who  has  appeared  at  Jerusalem,  sendeth  greeting. 

^  Subjoined  to  the  letter  is  the  following  :  "  When  these  documents 
arrived  in  Rome  ami  were  read,  all  were  astounded  that  because  of  Pi- 
late's wickediie.ss  the  darkness  and  eartli(]uake  took  place  over  the  wiiole 
world.  And  C'lesar  being  tilled  witii  anger,  sending  soldiers,  commanded 
to  bring  Pilate  as  a  prisoner." 

Appended  to  this  is  the  "Surrender  of  Pilate,"  mentioned  in  note  11. 


150  CORRESPONDENCE.  [note  C, 

I  have  heard  of  thee  and  of  thy  cures,  performed  without 
herbs,  or  other  medicines.  For  it  is  reported  that  thou 
makest  the  blind  to  see,  and  the  lame  to  walk  :  that  thou 
cleansest  lepers,  and  castcst  out  unclean  spirits  and  demons, 
and  healest  those  who  are  tormented  with  diseases  of  a  long 
standing,  and  raisest  the  dead. 

Having  heard  of  all  these  things  concerning  thee,  I  con- 
cluded in  my  mind  one  of  these  two  things,  —  either  that  thou 
art  God  come  down  from  heaven  who  doest  these  things,  or 
else  thou  art  the  Son  of  God  who  performest  them.  Where- 
fore I  now  write  unto  thee,  entreating  thee  to  come  to  me, 
and  to  heal  my  distemper.  Moreover,  I  hear  that  the  Jews 
murmur  against  thee,  and  plot  to  do  thee  mischief.  I  have 
a  city,  small  indeed,  but  neat,  which  may  suffice  for  us  both. 

Answer  of  Jesus  to  Abgarus  the  Toparch. 

(Throiujh  Ananias  the  Courier.) 

Abgarus,  thou  art  happy,  forasmuch  as  thou  hast  believed 
in  me,  though  thou  hast  not  seen  me.  For  it  is  written  con- 
cerning me,  that  they  who  have  seen  me  should  not  believe 
in  me,  that  they  who  have  not  seen  me  might  believe  and 
live.^  As  for  what  thou  hast  written  to  me  desiring  me  to 
come  to  thee,  it  is  necessary  that  all  those  things,  for  which  I 
am  sent,  should  be  fulfilled  by  me  here  :  and  that  after  ful- 
filling them,  I  should  be  received  up  to  him  that  sent  me. 
Wlien  therefore  I  shall  be  received  up,  I  will  send  to  thee 
some  one  of  my  disciples,  that  he  may  heal  thy  distemper, 
and  give  life  to  thee,  and  to  those  who  are  with  thee. 


Subjoined  to  the  foregoing  correspondence  in  Eusebius  is  a 
narrative,  taken  also  pi'ofessedly  from  the  public  archives  at 
Edessa,  concerning  cures  performed  by  Thaddeus  in  that  city. 
It  will  be  found  hereafter  in  Note  F,  being  separated  from 
the  foregoing  in  order  that  the  reader  may,  by  the  aid  of  such 
classification,  distinguish  mf)re  readily  the  fabrications  of  tes- 
timony concerning  the  Master  from  those  which  concerned 
chiefly  his  followers. 

^  The  rcferpnce  must  be  to  John's  Gospel,  20,  29,  which  at  the  assumed 
date  of  this  letter  had  not  yet  been  written. 


NOTE  D.]         LETTER  OF  LENTULUS.  151 

NOTE  D. 
LETTER   OF  LENTULUS. 

The  following  letter  is  not  quoted  by  any  early  Christian 
writer.  The  fact  that  it  is  attributed  to  a  heathen  imphes 
that  it  is  not  of  later  date  than  the  fourth  centuiy.  Possibly 
it  belongs  to  the  third.  Its  origin  and  object  may  be  seen  by 
recurring  to  Ch.  III.  §  14.  The  text  of  its  Latin  copies  or 
translations  differ  from  each  other.  One  of  these,  a  transla- 
tion from  the  Persian,  will  be  found  in  Fabricius,  Cod.  Apoc. 
Nov.  Test.  pp.  301,  301*,  302.  He  mentions  another,  substan- 
tially the  same,  but  different  in  phraseology,  as  existing  in 
the  Orthodojcof/rapha.  It  will  be  found  in  the  Biblical  Re- 
pository, Vol.  2,  pp.  373  -  375,  in  an  article  by  Professor  E. 
Robinson,  who  has  also  given  in  footnotes  the  readings  of  dif- 
ferent manuscripts.  The  letter  must  have  had  but  little  cur- 
cency  or  it  would  have  been  quoted  by  some  early  writer. 

Of  the  two  vei'sions  here  subjoined,  one  is  from  Calmet's 
Dictionary,  made  from  De  Dieu's  Latin  version  of  a  Persian 
copy,^  which  was  perhaps  a  modern  translation  from  the 
Latin.  Another,  in  the  second  column,  is  my  own  from  the 
text  of  the  Orthodoxographa  as  given  by  Robinson. 

[A  Letter  .  .  .  which  was  sent  Lentulus,  Prefect  of  Jeuusa- 
To  the  Senate  by  a  certain  lem,  to  the  Senate  and  Roman 
Lentulus.2]  People,  Greeting. 

There   has    a    man   appeared  In   the   present   age  a  highly 

here,  who  is  still  living,  named  endowed  man  has  appeared  who 

Jesus    Christ,   whose    power    is  is   yet    with    us,   named    Jesus 

extraordinary.     He  has  the  title  Christ,  who  by  Gentiles  is  styled 


1  In  the  sixteenth  century  Francis  Xavicr,  during  his  missionary 
work  in  Asia,  publislied  a  church  history  in  Persian,  in  which  tlie  above- 
mentioned  Persian  copy  of  tlie  h-tter  from  Lentulus  is  found.  The  sup- 
jiosition  is  reasonably  certain  that  lu;  supiMvised  a  translation  of  it  from 
the  Latin.  "  Xavier,  at  conunand  of  the  Persian  Emperor  Acabar,  com- 
posed, as  it  seems,  this  history  in  the  Portuguese  language,  lingua  Lusi- 
tanica,  in  Agra,  tlie  ]n-incipal  city  of  the  whole  kingdom  ;  and  his 
teacher  Abdel  Lenarin  Kasen,  originally  from  Lahore,  translated  it  into 
Persian."  — "Walch,  Bibliotheca  Thcolog.  Vol.  3,  p.  405. 

2  The  heading  is  taken  from  the  Jena  MS.  No.  2. 


152 


LETTER   OF   LENTULUS. 


[note  d. 


rfivcn  to  him  of  the  Groat  Pro- 
phet ;  his  disciples  call  him  tlie 
Son  of  God.  He  raises  the 
DEAD,  and  HEALS  all  sorts  of  dis- 
eases. 

Tie  is  a  tall,  well-proportioned 
man  ;  there  is  an  air  of  serenity 
ill  his  countenance,  which  at- 
tracts at  once  the  love  and  rever- 
ence of  those  who  see  him.  His 
hair  is  of  the  color  of  new  wine 
from  the  roots  to  his  ears,  and 
from  thence  to  the  shoulders  it 
is  curled,  and  falls  down  to  the 
lowest  part  of  them.  Upon  the 
forehead  it  i)arts  in  two,  after  the 
manner  of  the  Nazarenes.  His 
forehead  is  flat  and  fair,  liis  face 
without  any  defect,  and  adorned 
with  a  very  graceful  vermilion  ; 
his  air  is  majestic  and  agreeable. 
His  nose  and  his  mouth  are  very 
well  proportioned,  and  his  beard 
is  thick  and  forked,  of  the  color 
of  his  hair  ;  his  eyes  are  gray 
and  extremely  lively  ;  in  his  re- 
proofs he  is  terrible,  but  in  his 
e.\hortations  and  instructions 
amiable  and  courteous ;  there  is 
something  wonderfully  charming 
in  his  face,  with  a  mixture  of 
gravity.  He  is  never  seen  to 
laugh,  but  he  has  been  ob-served 
to  weep.  He  is  very  straight  in 
stature  ;  his  hands  are  large  and 
spreading,  and  his  arms  very 
beautiful.  He  talks  little,  but 
with  great  gravity,  and  is  the 
handsomest  man  in  the  world. 


the  Prophet  of  Truth,'  whom  his 
disciples  call  the  Son  of  God  ; 
[one]  who  awakens  the  dead 
and  heals  infirmities. 

He  is  a  man  of  jirominent 
stature,  arresting  attention,  hav- 
ing a  countenance  which  inspires 
reverence,  whom  those  that  re- 
gard him  can  both  love  and  fear  ; 
having  curly  and  wavy  hair, 
somewhat  dark  and  glossy,  float- 
ing on  his  shoulders,  parted  in 


the  middle,  according  to  Naza- 
rene  custom  ;  having  a  smooth, 
serene  forehead,  a  face  without 
wrinkle  or  speck  —  which  a  mod- 
erate degree  of  color  renders  at- 
tractive —  a  faultless  nose  and 
mouth,  a  copious  and  auburn 
beard,  like  his  hair  in  color,  not 
long  but  forked  ;  with  clear  and 
animated  eyes.  [He  is]  teri'il)le 
in  re])roof,  placid  and  lovable  in 
his  admonitions,  genial  without 


loss  of  gravity,  who  was  never 
seen  to  smile  but  often  to  weep. 
He  is  distinguished*  in  stature, 
having  hands  and  limbs  which 
it  is  a  delight  to  look  upon,  se- 
date in  speech,  peculiarly  mod- 
est, beautiful  among  the  sons  of 
men.*     Farewell. 


8  Prophet  of  Truth,  or  of  the  Truth.  This  terin  occurs  in  the  Clemen- 
tine noiuilies  2,  5,  0,  0  ;  3,  II,  as  also  the  term  True  Prophet,  1,  1!',  21  ; 
3,  II. 

*  All  copies  save  this  read  "erect."  See  Biblical  Repository,  2,  p.  375, 
note  13. 

s  Ps.  45,  2. 


§  1.]  CONCERNING  CHRIST.      "  153 

NOTE  E. 
INTERPOLATIONS   OF   JOSEPHUS. 

§  1.  Concerning  Christ. 

There  are  three  passages  in  Josephus  which  have  been  re- 
garded as  interpolated,  namely,  Antiq.  18,  3,  3 ;  18,  5,  2, 
20,  9,  1.  One  of  these,  a  passage  concerning  Jesus,  is  proba- 
bly a  fraud  by  some  Christian.  Whether  the  same  can  be 
said  of  the  other  two  is  doubtful.  The  passage  concerning 
Jesus  stands  between  narratives  of  two  events  which  Josephus 
classes  together  as  calamities. 


"  But  Pilate  undertook  to  bring  a  current  of  water  to  Je- 
rusalem, and  did  it  with  the  sacred  money.  .  .  ,  Myriads  of 
the  people  got  together,  and  made  a  clamor  against  him.  .  .  . 
He  bid  the  Jews  himself  go  away ;  but  they,  boldly  casting 
reproaches  upon  him,  he  gave  the  soldiers  that  signal  which 
had  been  beforehand  agreed  on  ;  who  laid  upon  them  much 
greater  blows  than  Pilate  had  commanded  them.  .  .  .  And 
thus  an  end  was  put  to  this  sedition. 

"  [Now  there  was  about  this  time  Jesus,  a  wise  man,  if  it  be  law- 
ful to  call  him  a  man  ;  for  he  was  a  doer  of  wonderful  works,  a 
teacher  of  such  men  as  receive  the  truth  with  pleasure.  He  drew 
over  to  him  both  many  of  the  Jews,  and  many  of  the  Gentiles.  He 
was  [the]  Christ.  And  when  Pilate,  at  the  suggestion  of  tlie  prin- 
cipal men  among  us,  had  condennied  him  to  the  cross,  those  that 
loved  him  at  tlie  first  did  not  forsake  him  ;  for  he  appeared  to  them 
alive  again  the  third  day  ;  as  the  divine  prophets  had  foretold  these 
and  ten  thousand  other  wonderful  things  concerning  him.  And 
the  tribe  of  Christians,  so  named  from  him,  are  not  extinct  at  this 
day.] 

"  About  the  same  time  also  another  sad  calamity  put  the 
Jews  into  disorder,  and  certain  shameful  practices  happened 
about  the  temple  of  Isis  that  was  at  Rome."  ^ 

1  Antiq.  18,  3,  "2-4  ;  Whisloiis  tranfi.  Tliis  other  calamity  of  wliich 
Josephus  tivats  occurred  in  A.  n.  19  at  Rome  (see  Judaism,  p.  188)  about 
eleven  years  before  Jesus  entered  on  his  ministry. 


154  INTERPOLATIONS   OF  JOSEPHUS.  [note 


§  2.  Concerning  John  the  Baptist. 

The  passage  in  the  works  of  Josephus  concerning  John  the 
Baptist  is  probably  due  to  some  disciple  of  John,  or  to  some 
adherent  of  the  popular  party,  rather  than  to  any  Christian. 
Even  if  cori'ect,  it  does  not,  at  first  sight,  accord  with  the  Gosj)el 
narrative,^  nor  does  it  refer  in  any  way  to  Christ  or  Christian- 
ity. AVhether  it  be  an  intentional  interpolation  or  a  mar- 
ginal comment  innocently  copied  into  the  text  may  admit 
question. 

"  Aretas,  the  king  of  Arabia  Petra^a,  and  Hei'od  had  a  quar- 
rel. .  .  .  Herod  the  tetrarch  had  married  the  daughter  of 
Aretas.  .  .  .  However,  he  fell  in  love  with  Herodias,  .  .  . 
Aretas  made  this  the  first  occasion  of  his  enmity  between  him 
and  Herod,  who  had  also  some  quarrel  with  him  about  their 
limits  at  the  country  of  Gemalitis.  So  they  raised  armies  on 
both  sides.  .  .  .  All  Herod's  army  was  destroyed.  .  .  .  Herod 
wrote  about  these  aftairs  to  Tiberius,  who  being  very  angry  at 
the  attempt  made  by  Aretas,  wrote  to  Vitellius  to  make  war 
upon  him,  and  either  to  take  him  alive,  and  bring  him  to  him 
in  bonds,  or  to  kill  him,  and  send  him  his  head  [?].  This  was 
the  charge  [1]  that  Tiberius  gave  to  the  president  of  Syria.^ 

2  According  to  Matthew  (14,  3)  and  Mark  (6,  IT)  the  cause  of  John's 
imprisonment  was  his  statement  that  Herod  ouf;ht  not  to  marry  his 
brother's  wife.  According  to  Luke  (3,  in,  lu)  it  was  for  this  and  other 
causes.  That  John,  who  spoke  with  e(|ual  boldness  of  prince  and  peo- 
])le,  should  be  arrested  by  Herod  is  comprehensible  enough.  If,  how- 
ever, Herod,  as  Mark  tells  us  (6,  20)  "feared  John  .  .  .  and  did  many 
things  as  he  told  him  and  listened  to  him  readily,"  Herod  must  for  a 
time  have  striven  to  gain  John  over  to  his  siile,  that  he  might  use  his  in- 
fluence with  the  people.  Failing  in  this,  the  request  by  a  daughter  of 
Heiodias,  for  the  head  of  John,  as  also  the  king's  ]>revious  oath,  may 
have  been  preconcerted  by  himself  to  lessen  the  odium  of  what  he  in- 
tended doing,  or  by  his  wife  and  the  aristocracy  as  a  means  of  pushing 
him  to  a  decision  at  which  he  hesitated. 

The  date  of  John's  death  nmst  have  been  in  A.  T).  31,  while  the  aris- 
tocracy at  Rome  (see  Juddiam,  pp.  522-531)  were  preparing  for  the  ve- 
bellion.  which  broke  out  in  October.  lu  the  s])iing  of  a.  n.  32,  when 
this  rebellion  had  been  suppressed,  Pilate  and  Herod  (Luke  23,  I-.')  were 
reconciled,  which  not  improbably  means  that  Herod  had  jnvviously  sym- 

Eathizcd  with  the  aristocracy  and  Pilate  with  Tiberius,  from  whom  he 
eld  his  office. 

^  Josejthus  repeatedly  falsifies  history  with  the  object  of  favoring  the 
T>oman  and  Jewish  aristocracy.  The  above  is  doubtless  one  of  his  fic- 
tions.    See  remarks  near  the  close  of  the  section. 


§  2.]  CONCERNING   JOHN   THE  BAPTIST.  155 

"  [Now,  some  of  the  Jews  thought  that  the  destrviction  of  Herod's 
army  came  from  God,  and  that  very  justly,  as  a  punishment  of  what 
he  did  against  John,  that  was  called  the  Jkiptist,  for  Herod  slew 
him,  who  was  a  good  man,  and  commanded  the  Jews  to  exercise 
virtue,  both  as  regarded  justice  towards  one  another,  and  practical 
recognition  towards  God,  and  so  to  come  to  baptism  ;  for  that  the 
washing  [with  water]  would  be  acceptable  to  him,  if  they  made  use 
of  it,  not  in  order  to  the  putting  away,  [or  the  remission]  of  some 
sins  [only,]  but  for  the  purification  of  the  body  ;  supposing  still 
that  the  soul  was  thoroughly  purified  beforehand  by  righteousness. 
Now  when  [many]  others  came  in  crowds  about  him,  for  they  were 
greatly  moved  [or  pleased]  by  hearing  his  words,  Herod,  who  feared 
lest  the  great  influence  John  had  over  the  people  might  put  it  into 
his  power  and  inclination  to  raise  rebellion,  (for  they  seemed  ready 
to  do  anything  he  should  advise,)  thought  it  best,  by  putting  him 
to  death,  to  prevent  any  mischief  he  might  cause,  and  not  bring 
himself  into  difficulties  by  sparing  a  man  who  might  make  him  re- 
pent of  it  when  it  should  be  too  late.  Accordingly,  he  was  sent  a 
ijrisoner,  out  of  Herod's  suspicious  temper,  to  Macherus,  the  castle  I 
before  mentioned,  and  was  there  put  to  death.  Now  the  Jews  had 
an  opinion,  that  the  destruction  of  this  army  was  sent  as  a  punish- 
ment on  Herod,  and  a  mark  of  God's  displeasure  to  him.j 

"  So  Vitellius  prepared  to  make  war  with  Aretas,  having 
with  him  two  legions  of  armed  men.  .  .  .  Leading  his  army 
through  Judea,  the  principal  men  met  him,  and  desired  that 
he  would  not  thus  march  through  their  land  :  for  that  the 
laws  of  their  country  would  not  permit  them  to  overlook  those 
images  which  were  brought  into  it.  .  .  .  Whereupon  he  or- 
dered the  army  to  march  along  the  great  plain,  while  he  him- 
self, with  Herod  the  tetrarch,  and  his  friends,  went  up  to 
Jerusalem  to  offer  sacrifice  to  God,  an  ancient  festival  of  the 
Jews  being  then  just  approaching  ;  and  when  he  had  been 
there,  and  been  honorably  entertained  by  the  multitude  of 
the  Jews,  he  made  a  stay  there  for  three  days,  within  which 
time  he  deprived  Jonathan  of  the  high-priesthood,  and  gave  it 
to  his  brother  Theophilus.  But  when,  on  the  fourth  day,  let- 
ters came  to  him,  which  informed  him  of  the  death  of  Tibe- 
rius, he  obliged  the  multitude  to  take  an  oath  of  fidelity  to 
Caius  ;  he  also  recalled  his  army,  and  made  them  every  one  go 
liome,  and  take  their  winter-quarters  there,  since,  upon  the 
devolution  of  the  empire  upon  Caius,  he  had  not  the  like  au- 
thority of  making  the  war  which  he  had  before."  * 

*  Josephus,  Antiq.  18,  5,  l  -3  ;  TFhislon's  trans,  altered.  The  chro- 
nology of  the  passage  is  somewhat  as  follows  :  Herod's  substitution  of 


156  INTERPOLATIONS   OF  JOSEPHUS.  [note   E. 

In  the  foregoing  an  omission  of  the  passage  concerning 
John  would  cause  no  break  in  the  connection  between  what 
precedes  and  follows  it.  Some  may  think  that  the  connection 
would  thus  become  even  closer. 

It  is  plain,  moreover,  that  Josephus  wishes  lis  to  regard 
Tiberius  as  having  espoused  Herod's  cause,  and  to  understand 
Vitellius  as  being  very  deferential  to  the  aristocracy.  We 
can  feel  reasonably  certain  that  if  Josephus  for  any  cause  had 
wished  to  commend  John,  he  would  not  have  selected  this 
connection  for  so  doing.  John's  designation  for  the  aristoc- 
racy, "brood  of  vipers"  (Matt.  3,  7),  and  the  whole  tone  of 
his  teaching,  were  not  calculated  to  inspire  reverence  for  those 
in  high  places. 

The  habitual  imtruthfulness  of  Josephus  (concerning  which 
see  Judaism,  pp.  553-560)  renders  it  a  fixir  question  whether 
the  expedition  of  Vitellius  ^  had  the  slightest  connection  with 
Aretas.  Vitellius  may  before  moving  have  received  orders 
from  Tiberius,  who  felt  the  approach  of  death,  that  he  should 
guard  against  any  rebellion  by  the  Jewish  aristocracy  on  the 
accession  of  Caligula.  His  troops  may  have  been  intended  to 
intercept-communication  between  the  aristocracy  at  Jerusalem 
and  senatorial  sympathizers  on  the  sea-coast.  The  need  of 
this  will  appear  from  a  study  of  events  two  years  after- 
wards.® 

§  3.  Concerning  James. 

The  extant  interpolation  concerning  James  may,  or  may 
not,  have  originated  in  an  honest  marginal  comment  copied 
subsequently  through  ignorance  into  the  text. 


"  The  king  [Agi'ippa]  deprived  Joseph  of  the  high-priest- 
hood, and  bestowed  the  succession  to  that  dignity  on  the  son 

Herodias  for  bis  former  wife  cannot  have  been  later  tban  A.  D.  31,  if  so 
late.  The  advent  of  Vitellius  into  Syria  cannot  bave  been  earlier  tban 
A.  D.  3.5,  seeing  that  he  was  consul  iu  A.  u.  34.  The  death  of  Tiberius 
occurred  March  16,  A.  D.  37. 

^  Vitellius  was  a  member  of  the  popular  party,  and,  equally  with  other 
of  its  prominent  men,  has  been  grossly  abused  and  misrepresented  by 
Tacitus.  The  following,  forced  probably  from  tliat  writer  bj'  jniblic  ojiin- 
ion  in  provinces  more  intelligent  tliiin  l!ome,  should  be  well  weighed. 
"  In  governing  tlie  provinces  he  acted  with  pristine  [a  patrician  term 
for  cu»wic)i(lahlc]  uprightness."  —  Tacitus,  An.  6,  32. 

•'  See  Jicdaism,  pp.  96-107. 


§  3.]  CONCERNING  JAMES.  157 

of  Auanus,  who  was  himself  called  Anamis.  .  .  .  But  this 
younger  Ananus,  who,  as  we  have  told  you  alread}^,  took  the 
high-priesthood,  was  a  bold  man  in  his  temper,  and  very  in- 
solent :  he  was  also  of  the  sect  of  the  Sadducees,  wlio  are  very 
rigid  in  judging  offenders  above  all  the  rest  of  the  Jews,  as  we 
have  already  observed.  When,  therefore,  Ananus  was  of  this 
disposition,  he  thought  he  had  now  a  proper  opportunity  [to 
exercise  his  authority].  Festus  was  now  dead,  and  Albinus 
was  but  upon  the  road ;  so  he  assembled  the  Sanhedrim  of 
Judges. 

"  [And  brought  before  them  the  brother  of  Jesus,  who  was  called 
Christ,  whose  names  was  James,  and  some  others.  And  when  be 
had  lormed  an  accusation  against  them  as  breakers  of  the  law,  he 
delivered  them  to  be  stoned. J 

"  But  as  for  those  who  seemed  the  most  equitable  of  the  citi- 
zens, and  such  as  were  most  uneasy  at  the  breach  of  the 
laws,  they  disliked  what  was  done ;  they  also  sent  to  the 
king,  [Agrippa,]  desiring  him  to  send  to  Ananus  that  he 
should  act  so  no  moi'e,  for  that  what  he  had  already  done  was 
not  to  be  justified  :  nay,  some  of  them  went  also  to  meet 
Albinus,  as  he  was  upon  his  journey  from  Alexandria,  and  in- 
formed him,  that  it  was  not  lawful  for  Ananus  to  assemble  a 
Sanhedrim  without  his  consent."  '' 


The  foregoing  interpolation  may  be  a  correct  piece  of  his- 
tory which  some  one  has  noted  in  the  margin  of  Josephus.  It 
can  have  had  no  theological  bearing,  and  presented  therefore  no 
motive  for  fuaudulent  insertion. 

Besides  the  above  there  would  seem  in  Origen's  time  to 
have  been  in  some  copy,  or  copies,  of  Josephus  a  somewhat 
different  statement  concerning  James,  which,  instead  of  per- 
taining merely  to  fact,  included  opinions.* 

■^  JoaephuB,  Antiq.  20,  9,  I  ;  Winston  s  trans. 

8  "  Jose|ihus  .  .  .  says  :  'These  things  befell  the  Jews  in  vindication 
of  James  called  the  Just,  who  was  the  brother  of  Jesus  called  the  Christ : 
fovasnuieh  as  they  killed  him  who  was  a  most  righteous  man.'  .  .  . 
With  how  much  more  reason  might  he  hav(^  said  that  this  had  liappened 
for  the  sake  of  Jesus  who  was  the  Christ."—  Origen,  cont.  Cch.  1,  47; 
0pp.  ed.  Lommatzsch,  18,  p.  87  ;  ed.  de  la  Rue,  1,  p.  363  A  ;  Lurdners 
trans. 

" Titus  destroyed  Jerusalem,  according,  indeed,  to  .Tosephus,  'because 
of  James  the  Just,    the  brotlier  of  Jesus,  who  is  called  Christ,'  but  in 


158  EDESSENE  ARCHIVES.  [xoTE   F. 

NOTE   F. 
EDESSENE  ARCHIVES   OR   PSEUDO-THADDEUS. 

In  Eusebius  is  our  earliest  mention  of  the  above  document, 
which  he  gives  in  a  Greek  transhxtion,  with  the  following  pref- 
atory remark  :  — 

"  To  these  epistles  ^  .  .  .  are  subjoined  the  following  things, 
in  the  Syriac  language. 

"'After  Jesus  had  been  taken  up,  Judas,  called  also 
Thomas,  sent  the  apostle  Thaddeus,''  one  of  the  seventy  ; 
who,  when  he  came  to  Edessa,  took  up  his  abode  with  Tobias, 
son  of  Tobias.  When  his  arrival  was  rumored  about,  and  he 
had  begun  to  be  known  by  the  miracles  which  he  had  wrought, 
it  was  told  to  Abgarus,  that  an  apostle  was  sent  to  him  by 
Jesus,  according  to  his  promise.     Thaddeus  therefore  by  the 

truth  because  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God."  —  Origen,  cojit.  Cels.  2, 
13;  0pp.  ed.  Lommatzsch,  18,  p.  161  ;  ed.  de  la  Rue,       p.  399  D. 

"'Flavins  Josephus,  wlio  wrote  the  Jewish  Antiquities  in  twenty 
books,  bein.ff  desirous  to  assign  the  cause  wliy  that  people  sulfereil  such 
things,  so  that  even  their  tenii>le  was  demolished  to  the  foundation,  says 
that  those  things  had  happened  because  of  the  anger  of  God  against 
them,  for  wliat  tliey  had  done  to  James  the  brother  of  Jesus  called  the 
Christ.'"  —  Origen,  Comment,  -in  Matt.  Tom.  10,  IT  (0pp.  ed.  Lom- 
matzsch, 3,  p.  4tj  ;  ed.  de  la  Rue,  3,  p.  463  C)  ;  Lnnhicr's  trans. 

1  Epistles  of  Abgarus  and  Jesus,  already  given  in  Note  C. 

^  In  the  enumeration  of  the  Apostles  by  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke, 
we  find  that  after  mention  of  James,  the  son  of  Ali)hens,  Luke  (6,  1% 
]tj)  mentions  "Judas,  the  brother  of  James  "  ;  Mark  (3,  is)  mentions 
"Thaddeus"  ;  and  Matthew  (10,  :'.)  mentions  "  Lebbt-us,  whose  sur- 
name was  Thaddeus."  Proliably  the  author  of  the  present  document 
meant  that  Judas,  otherwise  called  Thaddeus,  the  apostle,  had  gone  to 
Edessa.  Some  one  who  noticed  that  in  JLatthew  and  JIark  there  is  no 
mention  of  any  other  Judas  than  the  traitor,  or  some  one  who  used 
Luke's  gospel  and  found  no  such  name  as  Thaddeus  appended  to  the 
brother  of  James,  undertook  to  remedy  the  difficulty  by  making  Thad- 
deus one  of  the  seventy,  and  a  ditt'ereut  person  from  Judas.  This  may 
have  caused  him  to  be  sometimes  called  an  apostle  and  sometimes  one  of 
the  seventy. 

Eusebius  in  his  introductory  remarks,  prior  to  the  correspondence  of 
Abgarus  with  Jesus,  calls  Thomas  "one  of  the  twelve  Af)ostles,"  and 
Tiuiddeus,  "in  the  number  of  the  seventy."  He  had  probably  noticed 
the  confusion,  and  intended  his  remarks  as  the  suggestion  of  an  explana- 
tion. 


NOTE   F.J  EDESSENE   ARCHIVES.  159 

power  of  God  healed  all  sorts  of  maladies,  so  that  all  won- 
dered. 

"  '  But  when  Abgarus  heard  of  the  great  and  wonderful  works 
which  he  did,  and  how  he  healed  men  in  the  name  and  by  tlie 
power  of  Jesus  Ciii'ist,  he  was  induced  to  suspect  [iv  virovoia. 
•yeyovcv]  that  he  was  the  person  about  whom  Jesus  had  written 
to  him,  saying,  "  When  I  am  taken  up,  I  will  send  to  thee  some 
one  of  my  disciples,  who  shall  heal  thy  distemper."  Sending 
therefore  for  Tobias,  at  whose  house  he  was,  he  said  to  him  : 
"  I  hear  that  a  man,  endowed  with  great  power,  and  come 
from  Jerusalem,  is  at  thy  house,  and  that  he  works  many 
cures  in  the  name  of  Jesus."  To  which  Tobias  answered, 
"  Yes,  sir ;  there  is  a  stranger  with  me,  who  performs  many 
miracles."  Abgarus  then  said  :  "  Bring  him  hitlier  to  me." 
Tobias,  coming  to  Thaddcus,  said  to  hiui :  "The  toparch 
Abgarus  has  bid  me  bring  thee  to  him  that  thou  mayest  heal 
his  distemper."  Whereupon  Thaddeus  said  :  "  I  go  ;  for  I  am 
sent  to  him  by  [an  impelling]  power." 

"  '  The  next  day,  early  in  the  morning,  Tobias  taking  Thad- 
deus came  to  Abgarus.  As  he  came  in,  the  nobles  being 
present,  there  appeared  to  Abgarus  somewhat  very  extraor- 
dinary in  the  countenance  of  the  apostle  Thaddeus,  which 
when  Abgarus  saw,  he  did  reverence  to  Thaddeus  ;  which  ap- 
peared sti-ange  to  all  present,  for  they  did  not  see  that  sight 
which  appeared  to  Abgarus  only.  He  then  asked  Thaddeus  : 
"Are  you  indeed  the  disciple  of  Jesus  the  son  of  God,  who 
once  said  to  me  :  I  will  send  to  thee  some  one  of  my  disciples 
who  shall  heal  thy  distemper,  and  give  life  to  all  with  thee"? " 
Thaddeus  answered  :  "  Forasmuch  as  thou  hast  great  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus,  therefore  am  I  sent  unto  thee  :  and  if  tliou 
shalt  increase  in  faith  in  him,  all  the  desires  of  thy  heart  will 
be  fulfilled  according  to  thy  faith." 

"  '  Then  Abgarus  said  to  him  :  "  I  have  so  believed  in  him, 
that  I  would  go  with  an  army  to  extirpate  the  Jews  who  cru- 
cified him,  if  I  were  not  apprehensive  of  the  Roman  power." 
Then  Thaddeus  said  :  "  Our  Lord  [and  Goct]  '  Jesus  Christ  has 
fulfilled  the  will  of  his  Father  :  and,  having  fulfilled  it,  he  has 
been  taken  up  to  his  Father."     Abgarus  then  said  :   "  I  have 

'  The  words  and  God  are  omitted  by  the  tliroe  Tnanuscripts  mentioned 
in  the  next  note,  and  are  deemed  spurious  by  the  editoi-s  Vah'sius  and 
Heinichen,  though  in  following  the  copy  which  they  had  adopted  they 
liave  kept  them  in  their  tc.\t. 


160  EDESSENE  ARCHIVES.  [note   F. 

believed  in  him  and  in  his  Father."  And  thereupon  said 
Thaddeus  :  "  Therefore  I  put  my  hand  upon  thee  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus."  And,  upon  his  so  doing,  Abgarus  was 
healed  of  his  distemper.  And  Abgarus  wondered,  that  as  it 
had  been  reported  concerning  Jesus,  so  it  had  been  done  by 
his  disciple  [a7id  ajiostle]  *  Thaddeus  ;  insomuch  as  he  had 
healed  him  without  herbs,  or  other  medicines.  Nor  did  he 
heal  him  alone,  but  also  Abdus,  son  of  Abdus,  who  had  the 
gout.  For  he  came  to  him,  and  fell  down  upon  his  knees 
before  him,  and  by  the  laying  on  of  his  hands  with  prayer  he 
was  healed.  The  same  [aposile'\^  healed  many  other  citizens 
of  the  same  place,  and  wrought  many  and  great  miracles  as  he 
preached  the  word. 

" '  After  which  Abgarus  spoke  to  this  purpose  :  "  Thou 
Thaddeus  doest  things  by  the  power  of  God,  and  we  admire 
thee.  But  I  beseech  thee  to  inform  me  about  the  coming  of 
Jesus,  how  it  was,  and  of  his  power,  and  by  what  power  he 
did  all  those  things  which  we  have  heard  of."  To  which 
Thaddeus  answered  :  "  Now  I  forbear,  though  I  am  sent  to 
preach  the  word  ;  but  to-morrow  gather  togetlier  all  the  citi- 
zens, and  then  in  their  hearing  I  will  preach  the  word,  and 
sow  in  them  the  word  of  life,  and  will  inform  them  of  the 
coming  of  Christ,  how  it  was,  and  concerning  his  mission,  and 
for  what  cause  he  was  sent  by  the  Father,  and  concerning  the 
power  of  his  works,  and  the  mysteries  which  he  spoke  in  the 
world,  and  by  what  power  he  did  these  things,  and  concerning 
his  new  doctrine,  and  about  the  meanness  and  despicableness 
of  his  outward  appearance,®  and  how  he  humbled  himself,  (and 
died,  and  lessened  his  deity  ;  how  many  things  also  he  suf- 
fered from  the  Jews,  and  how  he  was  crucified,)''  and  descended 
into  the  underworld,  and  rent  asunder  the  inclosure  never 
before  rent,  and  arose,  and  raised  up  the  dead  who  had  been 
buried  many  ages  ;  and  how  he  descended  alone,  but  ascended 
to  his  Father  with  a  great  multitude;  and  how  he  is  set 
down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  with  glory  in  the 
heavens ;  and  how  he  will  come  again  with  glory  and  power 
to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead." 

"  *  Abgarus  therefore  issued  out  orders  that  all  the  citizens 

*  The  Mazarine,    Medicaean,  and  Fuketian  MSS.   omit  the  words  in 
brackets. 

^  Omitted  by  the  three  MSS.  mentioned  in  the  preceding  note. 

6  See  Ch.  HI.  §  14. 

'  The  parenthesis  must  include  two  or  more  varying  texts. 


NOTE   G.]      CORRESPONDENCE   OF   SENECA   AND   PAUL.         161 

should  come  together  early  the  next  morning,  to  hear  the 
preaching  of  Thaddeus.  And  after  that  he  connuanded  that 
gold  and  silver  should  be  given  to  him,  but  he  did  not  receive 
it,  saying  :  "  When  we  have  left  wliat  is  our  own,  how  should 
we  receive  those  things  which  belong  to  others  1 " 

"  *  This  was  done  in  the  four  hundred  and  thirtieth  year.'  "  ^ 


NOTE   G. 

CORRESPONDENCE  OPENED  BY  SENECA  WITH  PAUL. 

Fourteen  letters,  professedly  of  Seneca  and  Paul,  have 
come  down  to  us,  —  eight  by  the  former  and  six  by  the  lat- 
ter, —  which  will  be  found  in  editions  of  Seneca  and  of  tlie 
Apocrypha.^  They  were  extant  before  the  close  of  the  fourth 
century,  for  Jerome  alludes  to  theni.^     They  ai-e  part  of  the 


8  Eusebius,  Ere.  Hist.  1, 13  ;  Lardners  trans,  altered.  His  translation 
is  in  his  Works,  6,  598  -  600.  Eusebius  says  that  the  ahove  narrative 
which  he  gives  in  Greek  is  translated  from  the  Syriae.  Heinichen's  edi- 
tion gives  other  various-readings  than  those  heretofore  cited. 

The  four  hundred  and  thirtietli  Syrian  year  corresponds  with  tlic  fif- 
teenth of  Tiberius  ;  see  note  of  Valesius  on  this  passnpe  in  liis  edition  of 
Eusebius,  Ecc.  Hist,  Appendix,  pj).  22,  23,  copied  in  Heinichen's  edition, 
Vol.  1,  pp.  88,  89. 

1  See  Seneca,  0pp.  Philos.  4,  pp.  474  -  479,  ed.  I,e  Maire ;  Fabricius, 
Cod.  Jpoc.  A'^ov.  Test.  1,  pp.  892-904  (where  the  Last  letter  is  inisnuni- 
bered  13).  Jones  in  his  work  on  tlie  Canon,  Vol.  2,  pp.  45-53,  gives 
the  text  of  Fabricius,  which  differs  from  that  in  Seneca.  He  accompanies 
it  with  an  Englisli  translation  by  himself,  wliich  has  been  coj)ied  with  a 
few  verbal  oversights  into  Hone's  Apocryphal  New  Testament,  pp.  84-88. 
Tliis  translation  of  Jones  is,  with  some  alterations,  the  one  adopted 
above. 

2  "  Lucius  Annans  Seneca,  .  .  .  whom  I  would  not  place  in  the  cata- 
logue of  holy  men  unless  prompted  by  those  P^jiistles,  read  by  most  ])cr- 
soiis,  of  Paul  to  Seneca,  and  Seneca  to  Paul,  in  which  .  .  .  he  says  that 
he  wislics  he  occupied  the  same  i)lacc  ainoug  his  countrymen  as  Paul 
among  Cliristians."— Jerome,  de  Fir.  Illusl.  li  ;  Opp.  2,  col.  849-851  ; 
edit.  Vallars. 

Augustine  also  remarks:  "Seneca,  who  lived  in  apostolic  times, 
some  of  whose  letters  to  the  apostle  Paul  are  in  circulation,  truly  .says  : 
He  who  hates  the  loickcd  hates  all  men." — Epist.  54  (edit.  Benedictin. 
1,  .">;>)  ad  MaccdoniiDii. 


162  CORRESPONDENCE   OF   SENECA  AND   PAUL.      [note  O. 

conflict  between  Christians  and  heathens,  and  were  intended 
as  evidence  of  Seneca's  respect  for  Paul.  When  heathenism 
had  lost  political  power,  I'aul's  authority  outweighed  that  of 
Seneca.  A  conseciuence  of  this  has  been  that  in  the  title  of 
the  correspondence,  as  now  extant,  Paul's  name  precedes  that 
of  Seneca. 


1  ANNiEUS  Seneca  to  Paul  Greeting.  I  suppose,  Paul,  that 
you  have  been  informed  of  that  conversation,  which  passed 
yesterday  between  me  and  my  Lucilius,  concerning  hypocrisy 
and  other  subjects ;  for  there  were  some  of  your  disciples  in 
company  with  us  ;  for  when  we  were  retired  into  the  Sallus- 
tiau  gardens,  through  which  they  were  also  passing,  and 
would  have  gone  another  way,  by  our  persuasion  they  joined 
company  with  us.  I  desire  you  to  believe,  that  we  much 
wish  for  your  conversation.  We  were  much  delighted  with 
your  book  of  many  Epistles,  —  which  you  addressed  to  some 
states  and  chief  towns  of  provinces,  —  containing  wonderful 
instructions  for  moral  conduct  :  such  sentiments,  as  I  suppose 
you  were  not  the  author  of,  but  only  the  instrument  of  con- 
veying, though  sometimes  both  the  author  and  the  instru- 
ment. For  such  is  the  sublimity  of  those  doctrines,  and 
their  gi'andeur,  that  I  suppose  the  age  of  a  man  is  scarce  suffi- 
cient to  be  instructed  and  jjerfected  in  the  knowledge  of  them. 
I  wish  your  welfare,  my  brother.     Farewell. 

2.  Paul  to  Sekeca  Greeiivg.  I  rorcived  your  letter  yesterday  with 
]>]easure  ;  to  which  I  could  iminediatel}'  have  written  an  answer,  liad  the 
yomig  man  been  at  home,  whom  1  intended  to  have  sent  to  you  ;  for  you 
know  when,  and  by  whom,  at  wliat  seasons,  and  to  whom,  I  must  de- 
liver everything  which  1  send.  I  desire,  therefore,  you  wouhl  not 
charge  me  with  negligence,  if  I  wait  for  a  proper  person.  I  reckon  my- 
self very  hajipy  in  having  tlie  judgment  of  so  valuable  a  person,  that  you 
are  (hdighted  witli  my  Ejtistles  :  for  you  would  not  be  esteemed  a  censor, 
a  jihilosopher,  or  be  the  tutor  of  so  great  a  prince,  and  a  master  of  every- 
thing, if  you  were  not  sincere.     I  wish  you  a  lasting  prosperity. 

3.  Annteus  Seneca  to  Paul  Greeting.  T  have  completed 
some  volumes,  and  divided  them  into  their  proper  parts.  I 
am  determined  to  read  them  to  Cfesar,  and  if  any  fixvorable 
opportunity  happens,  you  also  shall  be  present,  when  they  are 
read.  But  if  that  cannot  be,  I  will  aj)point  and  give  you  no- 
tice of  a  day,  when  we  will  together  read  over  the  perform- 
ance. I  had  determined,  if  I  could  with  safety,  first  to  have 
your  opinion  of  it,  before  I  published  it  to  Caesar,  that  you 
might  be  convinced  of  my  affection  to  3-ou.  Farewell,  dear- 
est Paul 


NOTE  G.]   CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SENECA  AND  PAUL.    1G3 

4.  Paul  to  Seneca  Greeting.  As  often  as  I  read  your  letters  I  ini- 
a<,nue  you  pre.seiit  with  me  ;  iioi'  indeed  do  I  think  any  otlier  tiian  that 
you  are  always  witli  us.  As  soon  therefore  as  you  come  wc  shall  mu- 
tually see  eacli  other  nearer.     1  wish  you  all  pros[)erity. 

5.  ANNiEUS  Seneca  to  Paul  Greeting.  We  are  very  much 
concerned  at  your  too  long  absence  from  us.  Wliat  is  it,  or 
what  aflairs  are  they  which  obstruct  your  coming  ?  If  you 
fear  the  anger  of  Ctesar,  because  you  liave  abandoned  your 
former  religion,  and  made  })roselytes  also  of  others,  you  have 
this  to  plead,  that  your  acting  thus  proceeded  not  from  in- 
constancy, but  judgment.     Farewell. 

6.  Paul  to  Seneca  and  Luctlius  Grccthuj.  Concerning  those  things, 
about  which  ye  wrote  to  me,  it  is  not  pro])er  for  me  to  mention  anything 
in  writing  with  jien  and  ink  :  the  one  of  which  leaves  marks,  and  the 
other  evidently  declares  things.  Esjiccially  since  I  know  that  there  are 
near  you,  as  well  as  me,  those  wlio  will  understand  my  meaning.  Def- 
erence is  to  be  paid  to  all  men,  and  so  nuich  the  more,  as  they  are  more 
likely  to  take  occasions  of  (luaiiclling.  And  if  we  show  a  sul)missivc 
temjicr  weslinll  overcome  cfructually  in  all  points,  if  they  be  such  as  can 
repent  of  their  doings.     Farewell. 

7.  AxN.EUs  Seneca  to  Paul  Greeting.  I  profess  myself 
extremely  pleased  with  the  reading  your  letter  to  the  Gala- 
tians,  Corinthians,  and  people  of  Achaia.  For  the  Holy  Spirit 
has  in  them  by  yon  delivered  those  sentiments  which  are  very 
lofty,  sublime,  deserving  of  all  res[)ect,  and  beyond  your  own 
invention.  I  could  wish,  therefore,  that  when  you  are  writ- 
ing things  so  extraordinary,  there  might  not  be  wanting  an 
elegancy  of  speech  agreeable  to  their  majesty.  And  I  must 
own,  my  brother,  —  that  I  may  not  at  once  dislionestly  conceal 
anything  from  you,  and  be  unfaithful  to  my  own  conscience,  — 
that  the  emperor  is  extremely  pleased  with  the  sentiments  of 
your  Epistles.  For  when  he  heard  the  beginning  of  them 
read,  he  declared,  That  he  was  surprised  to  find  such  no- 
tions in  a  person  who  had  not  had  a  regular  education.  To 
which  I  replied,  That  the  gods  sometimes  speak  by  the  'mouth 
of  babes'  [Ps.  8,  2  ;  Matt.  11,  25],  and  gave  him  an  instance 
of  this  in  a  rustic,  named  Vatienus,  who,  when  he  was  in  the 
country  of  lleate,  had  two  men  appear  to  him,  called  Castor 
and  Pollux,  and  received  a  revelation  from  the  gods.  Fare- 
well. 

8.  Paul  to  Senkca  Greeting.  Although  I  know  the  emperor  is  both 
an  admirer  and  favorer  of  our  matters,  yet  give  nic  leave  to  advise  you 
against  your  sulferiiig  any  injury  [by  sliowing  any  favor  to  us].  I  think 
indeed  you  ventured  upon  a  very  dangerous  attempt,  when  you  would 


164    CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SENECA.  AND  PAUL.   [NOTE  G. 

declare  [to  the  emperor]  that  which  is  so  very  contrary  to  his  religion, 
and  way  of  worsliip  ;  seeing  he  is  a  worshipper  of  the  heathen  gods.  I 
know  not  what  you  had  particularly  in  view,  when  you  told  him  of  this  ; 
hut  I  supi)ose  you  did  it  out  of  a  too  great  respect  tor  nie.  But  I  desire 
that  for  tiie  future  you  would  not  do  so  ;  for  you  had  need  he  careful, 
lest  by  showing  your  affection  to  nie,  you  should  offend  your  master  : 
His  anger  indeed  will  do  us  no  harm,  if  he  continue  a  heathen  ;  nor  will 
his  not  being  angry  be  of  any  service  to  us  :  And  if  the  empress  act 
worthy  of  her  character,  she  will  not  be  angry  ;  but  if  she  act  as  a 
woman,  she  will  be  affronted.     Farewell. 

9.  Ann^eus  Seneca  to  Paul  Greeting.  I  know  that  you  are 
less  disturbed  on  your  account  by  my  letter,  acquainting  you 
that  I  had  given  the  emperor  your  Epistles,  than  by  the  con- 
dition of  things  which  so  powerfully  diverts  men's  minds  from 
good  manners  and  practices,  [as  to  occasion]  that  I  at  present 
should  not  be  esteemed  because  among  many  documents  I 
deem  this  [of  yours]  the  most  noteworthy.  Let  us,  therefore, 
begin  afresh  ;  and  if  anytliing  heretofore  has  been  imprudently 
acted,  do  you  forgive.  I  have  sent  you  a  book  de  copia  verbo- 
rum.     Farewell,  dearest  Paul. 

10.  Paul  to  Seneca  Greeting.  As  often  as  I  write  to  you,  and  place 
my  name  before  yours,  I  do  a  thing  both  disagreealile  to  myself  and  con- 
trary to  our  religion  ;  for  I  ought,  as  I  have  often  declared,  to  become  all 
things  to  all  men,  and  to  have  that  regard  to  your  quality,  which  the 
Eoman  law  has  honored  all  senators  with  ;  namely,  to  put  my  name 
last  in  the  [inscription  of  the]  Epistle,  that  I  may  not  at  length  with 
uneasiness  and  shame  be  obliged  to  do  that  which  it  was  always  my 
inclination  to  do.  Farewell,  most  respected  master.  Dated  the  fifth 
of  the  calends  of  July,  in  the  fourth  consulship  of  Nero  and  Messala 
[a.  d.  58]. 

11.'  Ann^us  Seneca  to  Paul  Greeting.  All  happiness  to 
you,  my  dearest  Paul.  If  a  person  so  great,  so  every  way 
agreeable  as  you  are,  become  not  only  a  common,  but  most 
intimate  friend  to  me,  how  happy  will  be  the  case  of  Seneca! 
You,  therefore,  who  are  so  eminent,  and  so  far  exalted  above 
all,  even  the  greatest,  do  not  think  yourself  unfit  to  be 
first  named  in  the  inscription  of  an  Epistle ;  lest  I  should 
suspect  you  intend  not  so  much  to  try  me  as  to  banter  me  ; 
for  you  know  yourself  to  be  a  Roman  citizen.  For  I  could 
wish  to  hold  among  my  people  the  position  which  you  hold 
among  yours.  Farewell,  dearest  Paul.  Dated  the  tenth  of 
the  calends  of  April,  in  the  consulship  of  Apriauus  [Aproni- 
anus]  and  Capito  [a.  d.  59]. 

^  No.  12  in  Le  Maire. 


NOTE  G.]      CORRESPONDENCE   OF   SENECA   AND   PAUL.  165 

12.*  ANNiEUS  Seneca  to  Paul  Greeting.     All  happiness  to 
you,  ray  dearest  Paul.     Do  you  think  that  I  am  not  saddened 
and  grieved  at  the   punishments   inflicted  on  your  innocent 
[sect  '\\  and  that  all  the  people  should  suppose  you  [Chris- 
tians]  so  criminal,  and  imagine  all  the  misfortunes  befalling 
the   city,  to  be  caused  by  you  ]     But  let  us  bear  the  charge 
with  a  patient  temper,   appealing  [for  our  innocence]  to  the 
court  [above],  which  is   the   only   one  our  hard   fortune  will 
allow  us  to  address,  till  at  length  our  misfortunes  shall  end 
in  unalterable   happiness.     Former  ages  have  produced  [ty- 
rants] Alexander  the  son  of  Philip,  and  Dionysius ;  ours  also 
has  produced  Caius  Csesar  ;  whose  inclinations  were  their  only 
laws.     As  to  the  frequent  burnings  of  the  city  of  Rome,  the 
cause  is  manifest ;  and  if  a  person  in  my  mean  circumstances 
might  be  allowed  to  speak,  and  one  might  declare  these  dark 
things  without  danger,  every  one  should  see  the  whole  of  the 
matter.     The  Christians  and  Jews  are  indeed  commonlj^  pun- 
ished  for  the   crime   of  burning  the  city  ;  but  that  impious 
miscreant,  who  delights  in  murdei's  and.  butcheries,  and  dis- 
guises his  villanies  with  lies,  is  appointed  to,  or  reserved  till, 
his  proper  time  ;  and  as  the  life  of  every  excellent  person  is 
now  sacrificed  instead  of  that  one  person  [who  is  the  author  of 
the  mischief],  so  this  one  shall  be  sacrificed  for  many,  and  he 
shall  be  devoted   to   be  burnt  with   fire  instead  of  all.     One 
hundred  and   thirty-two   houses    and  four  whole  squares  [or 
islands]  were  burnt  down  in  six  days  :  the  seventh  put  an  end 
to  the  burning.     I  wish  you  all  happiness.    Dated  fifth  of  the 
calends  of  April,  in  the  consulship  of  Frigius  [Frugi]  and  Bas- 
sus  [a.  d.  64].^ 

13.  Ann^us  Seneca  to  Paul  Greeting.  All  happiness  to 
you,  my  dearest  Paul.  You  have  written  many  volumes  in 
an  allegorical  and  mystical  style,  and,  therefore,  such  mighty 
matters  and  business,  being  committed  to  you,  require  not  to 
be  set  oft'  with  any  rhetorical  flourishes  of  speech,  but  only 
with  some  proper  elegance.  I  remember  you  often  say,  that 
many  by  aff'ecting  such  a  style  do  injury  to  their  subjects, 
and  lose  the  force  of  the  matters  they  treat  of.  But  in  this  I 
desire  you  to  regard  me,  namely,  to  have  respect  to  true 
Latin,  and  to  choose  just  words,  that  so  you  may  the  better 

*  No.  11  in  Le  Maire. 

*  In    Le  Maire   the  Consuls  mentioned  at  the  end  of  Letter  11,  and 
also  ot  Letter  12,  are  Apronius  and  Capito. 


166  CORRESPONDENCE   OF   SENECA   AND   PAUL.       [NOTE  G. 

manage  the  noble  trust,  which  is  reposed  in  you.     Farewell. 
Dated  fifth  of  the  noues  of  July,  Leo  and  Savinus  consuls. 

14.  Vavl  to  Skstxa  Greeting.  Your  serious  consideration  is  requited 
witii  those  discoveries,  which  the  Divine  Being  has  granted  but  to  few. 
I  am  thereby  assured  that  I  sow  tlie  most  strong  seed  in  a  fertile  soil, 
not  anytliing  material,  which  is  subject  to  corruption,  but  the  durable 
word  of  God,  which  shall  increase  and  bring  forth  fruit  to  eternity.  That 
which  by  your  wisdom  you  have  attained  to,  shall  abide  without  decay 
forever.  Believe  that  you  ought  to  avoid  the  superstitions  of  Jews  and 
Gentiles.  The  things  which  you  have  in  some  measure  ariived  to,  ])ru- 
dently  make  known  to  the  emj)eror,  his  family,  and  to  faithful  friends  ; 
and  though  your  sentiments  will  seem  disagreeable,  and  not  be  comjire- 
hended  by  them,  seeing  most  of  them  will  not  regard  your  discourses, 
yet  the  Word  of  God,  once  infused  into  them,  will  at  length  make  them 
become  new  men,  aspiring  towards  God.  Farewell,  Seneca,  who  art  most 
dear  to  us.  Dated  on  the  calends  of  August,  in  the  consulship  of  Leo 
and  Savinus.^ 


At  a  date  when  some  writers  maintained  the  genuineness 
of  these  letters,  extracts  were  made  from  Paul's  writings  and 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  which  he  was  supposed  to  have 
written,  and  were  placed  parallel  with  similar  extracts  from 
Seneca.  They  will  be  found  in  Le  Maire's  Seneca,  Oj^j^.  Philos. 
4,  pp.  465-467.  The  similarity  is  due  to  the  fact  that  not 
only  Paul  and  the  Writer  to  the  Hebrews,  but  Seneca,  like 
his  brother  Stoics,  copied  more  or  less  from  Judaism. 

The  two  extra  letters  of  Seneca,  over  and  above  the  number 
written  by  Paul,  are  due  probably  to  the  substitution  by  later 
writers  than  the  original  forger,  of  one  letter  for  a  different 
one.  The  later  substitutes  and  the  original  have  been  pre- 
served and  copied. 


6  The  consuls  for  A.  n.  65  were  A.  Licinius  Nerva  Silianus  and  M. 
Vestinus  Atticus.  Those  for  A.  D.  66  were  C.  Lucius  Telesinus  and 
C.  Suetonius  Paullinus.  The  forger  of  the  Epistles  must  have  intended 
to  name  the  consuls  for  one  or  the  other  of  these  years,  since  the  execu- 
tion of  Paul  could  not  have  been  placed  at  any  later  date.  Either  some 
corruption  of  the  te.\t  has  taken  place,  or  the  forger  made  some  blunder. 


NOTE   H.]  LETTER   OF   MARCUS  ANTONINUS.  167 

NOTE  H. 

LETTER  OF   MARCUS   ANTONINUS. 

During  a  war  waged  by  Marcus  Antoninus  in  Germany 
(a.  d.  17-i)  ho  and  his  army  were  ahiiost  famished  with  thirst, 
being  cut  otK  doubtless  from  water  by  their  enemies.  An 
opportune  sliowcr  reheved  them.  The  Autonine-column  at- 
tributes this  to  Jupiter  Pluvius.  Christians  attributed  it  to 
the  prayers  of  a  Christian  legion  ;  some  Heathens  to  an  Egyp- 
tian Astrologer  named  Arnuphis,  others  to  a  Chaldtean  named 
Julian.^ 

Christians  invented  a  letter,  professedly  by  the  emperor, 
indorsing  their  account.  This  letter  must  have  existed  by 
the  beginning  of  the  third  century,  for  Tertullian  alludes 
to  it.^  A  copy  of  it  has  come  down  to  us,  appended  by 
some  scribe  to  Justin's  first  Apolorjij.  In  Maraii's  edition 
of  Justin,  it  will  be  found  on  pp.  85  -  87,  and  in  Otto's  edition, 
Vol.  1,  pp.  27G-280.  Lardner's  translation,  the  one  here 
given,  will  be  found  in  his  Works,  Vol.  7,  pp.  18-1,  ISo.  He 
accompanies  it  with  various  citations  and  arguments  from  dif- 
ferent writers.  His  heading  of  the  letter  includes  the  titles 
"  Augustus  "  and  "high-priest,"  omitted  by  Marau's  text  and 
Otto's. 

The  Emperor  Cfesar,  Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus  [Augus- 
tus], Germanicus,  Parthicus,  Sarmaticus  [high-priest],  to  the 
People  of  Rome,  and  to  the  Sacred  Senate,  Greeting. 

I  gave  you  an  account  of  the  greatness  of  the  enterprise 
which  I  had  imdertaken,  and  what  great  difficulties  came 
upon  me  in  Germany  ;  how  I  was  surrounded  and  besieged  in 
the  midst  of  it,  and  afflicted  with  heat  and  weariness  :  at 
which  time  I  was  overtaken  at  Carnutimi  by  seventy-four 
regiments,  who  were  not  more  than  nine  miles  off  from  us. 
Now  when  the  enemy  was  come  very  near  us,  our  spies  gave 
us  notice  of  it :  and  Pompeianus,  my  general,  informed  me  also 

^  Dio  Cass.  71,  H  ;  Suidas,  Lc.r.,  articles  Arnuphis  and  Julinn. 

2  111  his  Apology  (c.  .'i)  TcitulUan  refers  to  the  letter  of  Maicus  An- 
toninus as  attesting  that  the  shower  was,  pcrliaps,  obtained  by  the  prayers 
of  Christian  soldiers. 


168  LETTER   OF  MARCUS  ANTONINUS.  [noTE  H. 

of  what  I  knew  before.  In  our  army  we  had  only  the  first, 
the  tenth,  the  double,  and  the  Fretensiau  legions,  to  contend 
with  an  innumerable  company  of  barbarians.  When  I  had 
computed  my  own  numbers  with  those  of  the  enemy,  I  ad- 
dressed our  gods  in  prayer ;  but  not  being  regarded  by  them, 
and  considering  the  distress  we  were  in,  I  called  for  those 
whom  we  call  Christians ;  and  upon  examination  I  found  tJiat 
they  were  a  great  multitude,  at  which  I  was  much  displeased, 
though  I  should  not  have  been  so ;  for  afterwards  I  under- 
stood how  powerful  they  are.  For  which  reason  they  began, 
not  by  preparing  their  darts,  or  other  weapons,  or  their  trum- 
pets, inasmuch  as  such  things  are  disagreeable  to  them  on  ac- 
count of  God,  whom  they  bear  in  their  consciences  :  for  it  is 
reasonable  to  believe  that  they,  whom  we  call  atheists,  have 
God  within  them  for  a  bulwark.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  they 
had  cast  themselves  down  iipon  the  ground,  they  prayed,  not 
for  me  only,  but  also  for  the  whole  army,  for  relief  under  our 
great  thirst  and  hunger.  For  it  was  the  fifth  day  we  had  no 
water,  because  there  was  none  in  that  place.  For  we  were  in 
the  midst  of  Germany,  surrounded  by  their  mountains.  But 
as  soon  as  they  had  cast  themselves  upon  the  ground  and 
prayed  to  a  God,  who  was  unknown  to  me,  water  came  down 
from  heaven  immediately.  Upon  us  it  was  very  cool,  but 
upon  our  enemies  it  was  fierce  hail.  And  immediately  after 
their  prayers  we  found  God  to  be  present  with  us,  as  one  that 
is  impregnable  and  invincible. 

Beginning  here,  therefore,  let  us  permit  these  men  to  be 
Christians,  lest  they  should  pray  for  the  like  weapons  against 
us  and  obtain  them.  And  I  declare  that  no  man  who  is  a 
Christian  is  to  be  called  in  question  as  such.  And  if  any  man 
accuse  a  Christian,  because  he  is  a  Christian,  I  declare  that 
the  Christian  may  appear  openly  ;  and  that  if  he  confesseth 
himself  to  be  so,  but  showeth  that  he  is  accused  of  no  other 
crime  but  that  he  is  a  Christian,  let  his  accuser  be  burnt 
alive.  And  as  to  him  that  confesseth  himself  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian, and  gives  full  evidence  of  the  same,  let  not  the  governor 
of  the  province  oblige  him  to  renounce  his  religion,  nor  deprive 
him  of  his  liberty.  I  will  that  this  be  confirmed  by  the  de- 
cree of  the  senate.  And  I  command  that  this  my  edict  be 
set  up  in  Trajan's  forum,  that  it  may  be  read  by  all.  Vitru- 
sius  Pollio,  prefect  of  the  city,  will  take  care  that  it  be  sent 
into  the  provinces  ;  nor  is  any  one  who  desires  to  have  it  and 
make  use  of  it,  to  be  hindered  from  taking  a  copy  of  this  our 
edict  which  is  publicly  set  up  by  me.     Farewell. 


NOTE  I.]  ASCENSION   OF  ISAIAH.  169 


NOTE  I. 

ASCENSION  OF  ISAIAH. 

A  WORK,  or  collection  of  works,  entitled  Ascension  op 
Isaiah,  originally  written  in  Greek,  —  probably  in  Egypt, — 
and  known  perhaps  to  Origen,^  has  come  down  to  us  in  an 
-^thiopic  version.  Laurence  first  translated  it  into  English. 
Dillmann's  edition,  forwarded  by  the  kindness  of  a  friend,  has 
reached  me  too  late  to  make  due  use  of  it.  In  the  "  Ascen- 
sion "  some  views  must  be  peculiarities  of  an  individual,  or  at 
most  of  a  small  class.  The  work  or  compilation  is  too  long 
for  transcription  here,  but  the  subjoined  outline  will  give  a 
general  idea  of  its  contents. 

Ch.  1,  1-3,  11.  Introductory  statement.  '\  These  consti- 
3,  12  -  4,  22.  Causes  of  Isaiah's  seizure.^  >  tuted  perhajys 
5,  1  -  16.    Isaiah's  death.  j  one  work. 

'  "And  Isaiah  is  recorded  to  have  been  sawed  by  The  People.  But  if 
any  one  pays  no  attention  to  this  record  on  account  of  its  being  con- 
tained in  the  secret  [or  apocryphal]  Isaiah,  let  him  believe  what  is  writ- 
ten, as  follows,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews."  —  Origen,  Comment,  in 
Mall.  10,  IS,  0pp.  3,  p.  465. 

2  "Then  Manasseh  sent  and  seized  Isaiah.  For  Berial  was  highly 
indignant  with  Isaiah,  on  account  of  the  vision  and  the  manifestation, 
which  manifested  Samael,  and  because  by  him  was  revealed  the  coming 
of  the  Beloved  from  the  seventh  heaven,  his  change,  descent,  and  form, 
when  he  shall  be  changed  into  the  form  of  man,  his  rejection,  and  the  tor- 
ments with  which  the  children  of  Israel  shall  torment  him,  as  also  the 
coming  and  doctrine  of  his  twelve  Disciples,  his  suspension  on  a  tree  the 
d.ay  before  the  sabbath,  his  suspension  in  company  with  men  the  work- 
ers of  iniquity,  and  his  buiial.  '  Moreover, '  said  Isaiah,  '  the  twelve,' 
who  shall  be  with  him,  shall  be  scandalized  at  what  sliall  happen  to 
liim  ;  and  watchmen  shall  be  appointed  to  guard  his  sepulchre.  There 
shall  likewise  be  a  descent  of  the  Angel  of  tlie  Christian  Church,  which 
in  the  latter  days  will  exist  in  heaven  ;  and  of  tht;  angel  of  the  Holy 
Si)irit,  and  of  Michael  the  Archangel,  to  ojien  his  sepulchre  on  the  third 
day,  when  the  Beloved  shall  go  fortli  sitting  on  the  shoulders  of  the 
Seraphim,  and  shall  send  his  twelve  discijiles,  to  teach  all  the  [?]  people 
and  all  nations  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  so  that  those  who  believe 
in  his  crucifixion  siiall  be  saved  ;  and  finally  his  assumption  shall  be  into 
the  seventh  heaven  from  whence  he  came.  Many  also,  who  shall  believe 
in  him,  shall  speak  by  the  Holy  Sjiirit.  And  frequent  signs  and  wonders 
shall  take  place  in  those  days.  But  afterwards  upon  the  subject  of  his 
second  advent  his  disciples  shall  forsake  the  doctrine  of  the  twelve  Apos- 


170  ASCENSION   OF  ISAIAH.  [note  I. 

The  Vision  wnicii  Isaiah  saw. 

6,  1  -  17.    Circumstances  under  which  it  took  place. 

7,  I  -  10,  6.    Ho  narrates  his  ascent  to  the  seventh  heaven. 
10,  7  - 11,  40.    Also    what   he  heard    and  saw   conceming 

Christ's  mission.^ 

In  the  last  two  headinj^s  are  items  which  illustrate  com- 
mon Christian  opinions,  while  others  illustrate  only  eccentri- 
cities of  the  author,  or  of  a  small  class  to  which  he  belonged. 

Christians  generally  regarded  tlie  heathen  deities,  or  de- 
mons, as  the  powers  of  the  air,  who  had  control  of  mankind, 
and  whose  spirit  was  that  of  contention.'' 

The  author  personifies  without  plainly  deifying  the  spirit, 
whom  with  the  pre-existent  Jesus  he  depicts  as  joint  worship- 
pers of  God.5  He  terms  Jesus  "  the  Beloved,"  "  the  Lord." 
Once  we  find  "thy  lord  [God]  the  lord  Christ,"*'  but  the 
bracketed  word  is  suspicious  because  absent  from  parallel 
expressions  (9,  37,  39,  40  ;  10,  7)  and  nowhere  else  applied  to 
Jesus. 

tU'S,  tlieir  beloved  and  pure  faith  ;  while  niueli  contention  shall  t<ake 
j)laee  respecting  his  coming  and  tlie  proximity  of  his  ai)proach.  In  those 
days  there  shall  be  many  attached  to  oHice,  destitute  of  wisdom  ;  multi- 
tudes of  ini(iuitous  elders  and  pastors  injurious  to  their  flocks,  and  ad- 
dicted to  rapine  ;  nor  shall  the  holy  pastors  themselves  diligently  dis- 
charge their  duty.  Many  likewise  shall  barter  the  honoralile  clothing  of 
the  saints  for  the  garment  of  him,  who  delights  in  golil.  Abundant 
shall  be  the  respecters  of  peisons  in  those  days,  and  lovers  of  this  world's 
honor.'  "  — Ascension  of  Isaiah,  3,  u-  ::>. 

3  "On  account  of  these  visions  and  prophecies,  Samael  Satan  sawed 
asunder,  by  Manasseh,  Isaiah  the  son  of  Amos,  the  prophet.  And  such 
were  the  things  which  Hezekiah  delivered  to  Manasseh  in  the  twenty- 
sixth  year  of  his  reign  ;  Who  nevertheless  forgot  them,  .  .  .  abandon- 
ing himself  to  the  service  of  Satan."  —  11,  ^l  -  i:i. 

*  "  We  then  ascended  into  the  firmauient,  I  and  he,  where  I  beheld 
Samael  and  his  powers.  Great  slaughter  was  perpetrated  by  him,  and 
diabolical  deeds,  while  each  contended  one  against  another.  ...  I  said 
to  the  angel,  '  What  is  this  contention  ? '  He  answered  :  '  Thus  has  it 
been  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  and  this  slaughter  will  continue, 
until  he,  whom  thou  shalt  behold,  shall  come  and  put  an  end  to  it.'  "  — 
7,  ii-1-2. 

6  "I  saw  that  my  Lord  worshipped  and  the  angel  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  that  both  of  them  together  glorified  God."  —  9,  4(i. 

"  9,  .">.  Dillmann,  for  a  reason  entirely  different  from  the  above,  deems 
"thy  lord"  the  only  genuine  part  of  the  ipiotation.  Here  and  in  cc.  2, 
2  ;  9,  ;i'.i,  10  ;  11,  I,  id,  tlie  word  God  is  in  his  tran.slation  followed  by 
0.  M.  If  this  imply  that  the  yEthiopic  word  so  translated  designates  the 
Supreme  Deity,  that  word  must  here  be  spurious.  Isaiah  was  uuable 
(9,  37  ;  11,  3-')  to  behold  the  Supreme  Being. 


NOTE  I.]  ASCENSION   OF   ISAIAH.  171 

He  represents  Jesus,  in  accordance  with  directions  from  his 
Father,''  as  descending  from  the  seventh  through  the  six  lower 
heavens,  recognized  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  sixtli,  but  al- 
tering his  form  in  each  of  the  five  lower  ones,  so  as  not  to  be 
recognized  by  their  inhabitants.  He  represents  him  as  born 
without  the  knowledge  of  his  mother,*  and  subsequently  gives 
in  a  condensed  shape  .some  of  his  liistory.® 

^  "  For  the  Lord  shall  descend  into  the  world  in  the  latter  days,  and 
after  his  descent  shall  be  called  Christ.  He  shall  take  your  Ibnn,  be  re- 
puted Hesli,  and  shall  be  man.  Then  shall  the  Gotl  of  the  world  be  re- 
vealed by  his  Son.  Yet  will  they  lay  their  hands  upon  him,  aiul  sus- 
pend him  on  a  tree,  not  knowing  who  he  is.  In  like  mannei',  also,  shall 
his  descent,  as  thou  wilt  perceive,  be  concealed  from  the  heavens, 
through  which  he  shall  pass  altogether  unknown.  But  after  he  has 
escaped  from  the  angel  of  death,  on  the  thiid  day  he  shall  rise  again,  and 
continue  in  the  world  five  hundred  and  forty-tive  days.  And  many  also 
of  tlie  saints  shall  ascend  with  him,  whose  s[)ii'its  shall  not  receive  their 
clothing,  until  the  Lord  Christ  shall  ascend  himself,  and  with  him  shall 
they  asceml.  Then,  therefoi'e,  shall  they  assume  their  clothing,  and 
tiirones,  and  crowns,  when  he  shall  have  ascended  into  the  seventh 
heaven."  —  9,  lo-l>'.  Compare  directions,  10,  7-l.i,  and  the  com- 
I)liance  with  them,  10,  VJ-M  ;  11,  r.)-:i-.'. 

Irena^us  (Coiif.  Ihcrcs.  1,  3,  '2  and  1,  30,  It)  mentions  some  Gnos- 
tics who  held  that  Jesus  remained  on  earth  after  his  resurrection  eighteen 
months,  which,  counting  the  year  at  three  hundred  sixty-five  days,  and 
the  si.x  months  at  thirty  days  each,  would  make  live  hundred  forty-five. 
The  author  of  the  Ascension,  though  not  a  Gnostic,  held  some  Gnostic 
views.  In  this  case,  however,  1  suspect  tliat  the  teaching  of  Gnostic 
leaders  may  have  been  misunderstooil  liy  their  less  attentive  followers,  or 
by  tlieir  Catholic  opponents.  The  Valentinians  held  (Irenaeus  5,  31,  •.') 
"that  the  Lower  Regions,  Inferos,  are  tliis  world  of  ours. "  If  they  held 
with  some  moderns,  that  the  ministry  of  Jesus  lasted  eighteen  months, 
they  may  have  said  that  after  his  descent  to  this,  our  underworld,  he 
taught  during  a  year  and  a  half. 

*  "  I  behekl  ...  a  woman  by  name  Mary,  .  .  .  betrothed  to  a  man 
by  name  Josej)!!.  ...  I  saw  that  .  .  .  after  she  was  betrothed,  she  was 
found  pregnant.  .  .  .  After,  however,  two  full  months  .  .  .  while  Alary 
was  attentively  gazing  on  the  ground,  she  suddenly  y)erceived  with  aston- 
ishment a  small  infant  lying  before  her.  .  .  .  The  Lord  was  come  to  his 
iidieritance.  .  .  .  Many  affirmed  that  she  did  not  bring  forth  at  all,  .  .  . 
all  knew  that  he  was,  but  knew  not  whence  he  was.  Then  they  took  him 
and  came  to  Nazareth  of  Galilee." — 11,2-15.  Compare  in  Norton's 
Grnuinrncss  (3,  1U7)  the  Valentinian  view  that  the  Mow  Savior  "passed 
through  Mary  .  .   .  without  receiving  anything  from  her  substance." 

^  "  When,  however,  he  was  grown  up,  I  saw  that  he  performed  great 
signs  and  wonders  in  the  land  of  Israel  and  Jerusalem  ;  that  foreigners 
hated  him  and  raised  up  the  children  of  Israel  against  him,  not  knowing 
who  he  was  ;  that  they  delivered  him  to  the  king,  and  crucified  him  ; 
and  that  he  descended  to  the  angel  of  death.  In  Jerusalem  I  beheld  him 
hanging  on  a  tree  ;  and  after  the  third  day  rising  again,   and  remaining 


172  SIBYLLINE   ORACLES.  [note  J. 

If  cc.  6  - 11  be  a  distinct  document  its  object  was  to  de- 
velop what  preceded.  Dillmann  has  transhited  the  work  into 
Latin. ^°  He  thinks  {Proleg.  §  4)  that  he  finds  in  it  three 
documents,  namely;  a  Jewish  one,  cc.  2,  I  -  3,  12;  5,  2-14; 
a  Ciiristian  one,  cc.  6,  I  -11,  1,  23-40,  to  which,  he  thinks, 
another  Christian  prefixed  ch.  1  (except  verse  3)  and  added 
11,  42,  43. 


NOTE  J. 
SIBYLLINE  ORACLES. 


Mention  has  been  made  in  a  former  work  ^  of  two  acrostics 
by  Christian  writers,  one  complete  and  the  other  imperfect, 
which  remain  to  us  in  the  Sibylline  Oracles.  AVhether  they 
were  written  with  controversial  intent  may  be  a  question. 
The  finished  one  ti'eats  of  the  future  Judgment.  The  unfin- 
ished one  has  more  to  do,  though  not  very  plainly,  with 
Christ's  life  on  earth,  and  was  the  better  calculated  of  the 
two  for  controversy  with  heathens. 

Three  pieces  which  deal  more  plainly  with  Christ's  life  on 
eai'th  are  here  subjoined,  as  also  a  fourth  which  does  so  in  a 
slight  degree.  Any  argument  from  them  implies  that  to  no 
one  save  Jesus  were  they  applicable.  Their  applicability  to 
him,  when  not  conceded,  must  have  been  based  on  Pseudo- 
Heathen  records. 

No.  1. 

Then  to  men  shall  a  son  of  the  Great  God  come 

In  the  flesh,  being  likened  to  mortals  on  earth,  325 

[His  name]  has  four  vowels  ;  but  its  consonants 

I  announce  as  two ;  and  will  tell  the  whole  number ; 

Eight  units,  and  as  many  tens, 

on  earth  for  a  certain  period.  Then  the  an;:;e],  who  was  conducting  me, 
.said  :  '  Understand,  Isaiah.'  When  immediately  I  saw  him  .send  forth 
his  twelve  Diseijdes,  and  ascend  from  the  world."  — 11,  18-22. 

if^  Ascensio  lsai;ie,  ^thiop.  et  Lat.  cum  Proleg.  Adnotat.  [etc-l,  edita 
ab  A.  Dillmann,  Lips.  1877.  Its  author  had  access  to  two  manuscripts 
besides  the  one  which  Laurence  used.  There  is  also  a  late  English  trans- 
lation of  this  work  by  G.  H.  Schodde  which  I  have  not  seen. 

1  See  Judaism,  p.  444. 


NOTE  J.]  SIBYLLINE   ORACLES.  173 

And  eight  hundreds  to  the  incredulous 

His  n.ime  will  exhibit  ;  ^  but  apprehend  thou  mentally  330 

The  Christ  of  the  Immortal  God,  Sou  of  the  Highest. 


He  will  fulfil  the  law  of  God,  not  destroy  it ; 

Furnishing  an  antitype  ^  copy,  and  will  teach  all  things  [needful]. 

To  him  priests  shall  bear  an  oliering  of  gold, 
Myrrh  and  frankincense  ;  for  all  these  tilings  will  he  [?]  perform.  335 

But  when  a  certain  voice  in  the  desert 
Shall  come  proclaiming  to  mortals,  and  shall  cry  out  to  all  :  — 
"  Let  us  make  straight  paths,  and  throw  away 
Wickedness  from  the  heart,  and  let  every  mortal  body 
Be  eidightened  with  water,  that  being  born  from  above,  340 

They  may  no  longer  transgress  what  is  just," 
(But  a  l)arbarous  mind,*  jiersuaded  by  dancing. 
Cutting  olf  [his  head]  shall  give  it  as  a  reward.)     Then  a  sign  to 

mortals 
Shall  suddenly  take  place,  Avhen  guarded  there  shall  come 
From  the  land  of  Egypt  a  Ijeautilul  stone,  but  against  this  345 

The  Hebrew  people  shall  stumble  ;  but  the  Gentiles  shall  assemble 


2  —  1  10 

H   8  8  Units  =    8 

S  200  8  Tens      80 

O  70  8  Hundreds  800 

V   400  

2  200  888 
888 

Perhaps  repetition  of  the  number  "  eight "  was  connected  in  the  writer's 
mind  with  an  idea  of  some  secret  signification  belonging  to  it.  Justin 
(Dial.  24,  41)  and  Barnabas  {Epist.  i,5)  term  Sunday  the  eightli  day.  Tlie 
former  says  :  "  I  can  show  you,  gentlemen,  .  .  .  that  the  Eighth  Day 
had  a  mystery,  proclaimed  through  these  [before-mentioned  cirrnm- 
stances]  by  God,  superior  to  [that  of]  the  Seventh."  —  Justin  Martyr, 
Dial.  -24.     Compare  41. 

In  Egypt,  where  Greeks,  by  attention  to  astronomy,  had  detected,  as 
was  supposed,  an  eighth  sjihere  or  heaven  — that  of  the  fixed  stars  —  far 
above  and  beyond  the  one  in  which  the  ])lanet  Saturn  was  supposed  to 
move,  the  Valcntinian  Gnostics  selected  this  eighth  sphere  as  the  dwell- 
ing-})lace  of  the  Supreme  Being  who  had  sent  Christ.  Compare  Juda- 
ism, p.  334. 

3  (3n  the  meaning  of  antitype  compare  {.Tudaism,  p.  349)  the  antitheses 
of  Irenseus.  After  an  imbittered  war  between  Jews  and  Romans  an  idea 
was  a<lvanced  by  some  Christians  that  the  events  of  tlie  Ohl  Testament 
were  antithetically  repeated  in  the  New.  Perhaps  the  idea  may  be  in- 
tended above. 

*  Compare  Note  E,  footnote  4. 


174  SIBYLLINE   ORACLES.  [note  J. 

Under  his  lead  ;  fur  the  God  who  rules  from  on  high, 

Through  hiiu  they  shall  know,  and  the  straight  [)ath  of  universal 

For  he  will  show  eternal  life  to  mortals, 

To  the  chusen,  but  uijitct  Jire  etenudli/  on  the  lau'less.  350 

And  then  he  will  heal  the  sick,  also  the  blameworthj'', 

[Of  their  sins?]  all  who  put  trust  in  him. 

'I'he  blind  shall  see,  the  lame  sliall  walk, 

The  deaf  shall  listen,  the  dumb  shall  talk  ; 

He  shall  eject  demons ;  the  dead  shall  rise  ;  355 

He  shall  walk  the  waves  and  in  a  desert  place 

From  five  loaves  and  a  marine  fish 

Shall  satiate  five  thousand,  and  the  remnants  of  these 

Shall  fill  twelve  baskets  for  [the  Sacred  Virgin^y^ 

And  then  Israel  being  drunk  shall  not  perceive  360 

Nor  liear,  being  burdened  with  dull  ears. 

But  when  anger  of  the  Highest  shall  visit  the  Hebrews 
In  its  rage,  and  shall  take  away  their  faith^ 
Because  they  destroyed  the  Heavenly  Son  of  God. 

And  then  blows  and  vile  spittle  365 

Shall  Israel  with  polluted  lips  inflict  on  liim. 

For  food  gall,  and  for  drink  undiluted  vinegar 

They  shall  godlessly  give  him,  impelled  by  wicked  frenzy 

In  their  breast  and  heart,  but  not  seeing  with  their  eyes  — 

Blinder  than  moles,  more  frightful  than  reptiles  370 

Poisonous  serpents  —  fettered  b^'  heavy  sleep. 

But  when  lie  shall   spread  out  his  hands  and  embrace  all 
things, 
And  shall  bear  a  crown  of  thorns,  and  his  side  shall 
They  pierce  with  spears  (wherefore  during  three  hours, 
I)ark  monstrous  night  shall  come  in  mid-day),  375 

Then  indeed  the  temple  of  Solomon  to  mortals 
Shall  give  a  great  sign,  when  He  shall  enter 
The  underworld,  announcing  resurrection  to  the  dead. 

*  The  eorresjtondiiig  line,  Book  8,  278,  instead  of  "  Sacred  Virgin," 
reads  "  Hoi)e  of  the  Peoples."  Laetantius  quotes  it,  "Hope  of  the  Mul- 
titude." 

^  Tills  may  mean,  destroy  their  worship  by  destruction  of  their  tem- 
ple. The  i)assage  breaks  the  connoction.  Were  line  364  amended  tlius, 
"  So  that  they  shall  destroy  the  Heavenly  Sou  of  God,"  part  of  the  dif- 
ficulty would  be  removed. 


NOTE  J.]  SIBYLLINE   ORACLES.  1 


/O 


But  when  he  shall  come  in  three  clays  to  light  again, 
And  shall  show  mortals  his  sleep,'  and  teach  all  things,  380 

Ascending  in  tiie  clouds  he  sliall  joui'ney  to  heaven, 
Leaving  to  the  world  the  gospel  dispensation. 
In  his  name  a  new  shoot  sliall  sjjrout 
From  the  Gentiles,  guided  by  God's  law. 

After  these  things  there  shall  be  Apostle  *  guides,  385 

And  then  shall  be  a  cessation  of  prophets. 

Thenceforward  Hebrews  shall  real*  an  evil  harvest. 
And  much  gold  and  silver  shall  the  Roman  king 
Plunder.     And  afterwards  otlier  kings 

Shall  continually  arise,  as  former  ones  perish,  sco 

And  shall  afflict  mortals.      But  to  those  men  shall  be  great 
Destruction,  when  they  shall  rule  with  haughty  injustice. 
But  when  the  temple  of  Solomon  on  the  mighty  earth 
Shall  fall,  cast  down  by  men  of  barbarous  speech, 
Brazen-breastplated,  and  Hebrews  be  expelled  the  land  sns 

AVanderers  [and]  slaughtered,  and  siiall  mix  much  darnel 
"Witli  their  wheat,  noxious  sedition  shall  bo  among  all 
Mankind  ;  cities,  mutually  insulted. 
Shall  bewail  (since  they  performed  an  evil  act), 
lleceiving  the  great  God's  anger  in  their  bosom.  400 

Sibylline  Oracles,  1,  324  -  400. 

No.  2. 

I  heartily  sing  the  Immortal's  great  and  famoiis  Son 
To    whom    the    Highest    Parent   granted    assumption  of  the 
throne 

When  not  yet  born,  since  a  second  time  in  flesh 

Was  he  born,  being  washed  by  the  ponriug  of  the  river 

Jordan,  which  is  borne  along  in  a  blue  course  ;  6 

Who,  escaping  the  file,*  shall  first  see  the  sweet 

S])irit*''  coming  on  [him]  with  the  white  wings  of  a  dove. 

There  shall  sprout  a  pure  shoot  ;  the  fountains  shall  bubble  up  ; 

^  The  moaning  proliably  is,  "shall  narrate  to  mortals  the  events  of  his 
throe  days  liolow."  There  is,  however,  a  diirerent  reading  :  "shall  show 
mortals  a  typo." 

*  The  tlicok  woid  <tt6\oi  is  perhaps  an  ahbreviation  foi-  'Air6(TTo\ot. 
Otherwise  the  moaning  must  ho  "multitudinous  guides,"  though  the 
ex])rossion  would  he  an  unusual  one. 

8  An  allusion  possibly  to  the  idea  (Justin,  iJinf.  88)  that  the  Jordan 
took  fire  at  the  baptism  of  Jesus.  Another  reading  gives  a  dillerent 
sense. 

I*'  For  TTnei'/xaTi  yivOfievou  read  wpeOfj.'  iircyivoixivov. 


176  SIBYLLINE   ORACLES.  [note  J. 

He  shall  show  men  the  waj's,  shall  show  the  paths 
To  heaven  ;  shall  teach  all  in  wise  parables  ;  lo 

Shall  lead  to  rectitude  and  persuade  a  contrary  people, 
Boasting  a  praiseworthy  descent  from  his  Heavenly  Father. 
He  shall  walk  the  waves,  free  men  from  diseases, 
Raise  the  dead,  drive  off  multitudinous  ailments, 
From  one  pt^i;?  roll  of  bread  men  shall  be  satiated.  15 

Sibylline  Oracles,  6,  1-15. 

The  remaining  thirteen  lines  of  Book  6  are  by  a  later 
writer.  Some  of  them  speak  in  the  past,  not  in  the  future 
tense." 

No.  3. 

Not  in  glory,  but  as  mortal  [about]  to  be  judged  ^^  he  will 

come. 
Pitiable,  dishonored,  formless,"  that  he  may  give  hope  to  the 

pitiable. 
Also  [fAiv]  form  to  perishable  flesh  and  heavenly  faith 
To  unbelievers  he  will  give  ;  and  [anew]  form  man, 
(Originally  moulded  by  God's  hands)  260 

Whom  the  serpent  misled,  that  he  should  stray 


11  Wlien  the  house  of  David  shall  produce  a  plant  in  whose  hand 
The  whole  world,  earth,  heaven  and  sea  sliall  be. 
Lightnings  on  eartli  shall  be  [such]  as  formerly  they  saw 

The  two  who  Wi^'re  Iwrn  from  each  other's  side  ; 
It  shall  be  [thus]  when  the  earth  shall  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  Son. 
On  you  alone,  Land  of  Sodom,  misery  sliall  lie, 
For  senseless,  you  did  not  recognize  your  God, 
Trifling  with  mortal  perceptions,  but  from  the  thorn 
Crowning  him  with  a  crown,  mixeil  frightful  gall 
For  insult  and  cDw/io  drink,  which  shall  cause  you  grievous  suffer- 
ing. 
0  wood  most  blessed  on  wliich  God  was  suspended  ; 
Earth  shall  not  have  you,  but  you  shall  see  heaven, 
When  the  fiery  eye  of  God  shall  dart  lightning  on  the  temple. 

Sibylline  Oracles,  6,  u;  -  -29. 

12  It  was  customary  in  ancient  times  foi-  one  awaiting  liis  trial  to  indi- 
cate by  his  api)arel  and  by  his  uushaved  or  unwashed  countenance  tliat 
he  was  in  a  ])itial)le  condition.  This  was  intended  as  an  appeal  to  sym- 
pathy and  <'omj)assion.  "  Cicero  .  .  .  changed  his  attire,  and  assuming 
tlie  garb  of  one  accused,  went  round  the  forum  soliciting  the  com])assiou 
of  all  whom  he  met."  —  Smith,  Bid.  o/Biog.l,}).  713,  col.  2,  art. 
Cicero. 

13  See  Ch.  III.  §  14. 


NOTE  J.]  SIBYLLINE   ORACLES.  177 

To  a  deadly  fate,  and  take  knowledge  of  good  and  evil, 

So  that  leaving  God  he  shonld  serve  mortal  customs  : 

To  him  the  AU-riiler,  taking  [him]  specially  as  adviser, 

Said  in  the  beginning  :  "  Child,  let  us  both  "  make  265 

(Forming  from  our  own  image)  mortal  tribes. 

I  now  with  my  hands,  then  you  by  teacliing  shall  heal 

Our  form,  that  we  may  establish  a  mutual  work." 

Mindful  therefore,  of  this  purpose,  he  will  come  to  be  judged, 

[Furnishing  an  antitype  ^^  representation  of  the  iindefiled  virgin  '"] 

Enlightening  with  water  by  the  hands  of  the  elders.  271 

Doing  all  things  by  a  word,  healing  every  disease, 

He  shall  lay  the  winds  with  a  word,  and  calm  the  sea 

When  raging,  with  his  feet,  treading  it  in  peace  and  trust. 

From  five  loaves  and  a  marine  fish  275 

He  shall  satiate  five  thousand  men  in  a  desert, 

And  taking  all  the  surplus  fragments, 

Shall  fill  twelve  baskets  as  a  hope  for  the  people. 

He  will  invite  souls  of  the  blessed  and  love  the  wretched 

Who,  scoffed  at,  shall  do  good  for  evil,  280 

While]  beaten,  scourged,  desiring  poverty. 

He]  perceiving  and  seeiug  and  hearing  all  things, 
Shall  look  into  the  interior,  and  lay  it  bare  for  conviction. 
For  he  is  the  hearing,  understanding  and  sight  of  all, 
Tlie  Logos  creating  forms,  whom  all  things  obey,  285 

Savior  of  the  dead,  healer  of  all  disease. 
He  will  fall  at  last  into  LAW-less  and  faith-Icss"  hands. 
They  will  give  God  blows  with  unholy  hands. 
And  with  polluted  lips  vile  spittle. 

He  will  give  to  the  blows  an  utterly  undefiled  back  ;  290 

[For  he  will  give  himself  to  the  world  undefiled  in  virginity,'*] 
And  buffeted,  will  be  silent,  that  no  one  may  recognize 
Who,  of  whom,  he  is,  whence  he  came,  that  he  may  talk  to 
the  dead.^^ 


"  See  Note  M,  text  prefixed  to  footnote  17. 

^^  See  note  3. 

^^  That  is  Eve,  who  was  deemed  by  many  a  virgin  until  her  expulsion 
from  Paradise.  Compare  line  iiil  and  see  (Jnclerivorld  Mission,  Appendix, 
Note  H. 

"  liAW-less  means  heathen.     FAiTii-less  may  mean  Jews  or  heathens. 

^  Literally,  "an  undefiled  virgin." 

^'  The  meaning  seems  to  be  that,  if  recognized,  lie  would  not  have  been 
put  to  death,  and  could  not  have  fulfilled  his  missiou  iu  the  underworld. 
Compare  Underworld  Missian,  3d  edit.  p.  79. 


178  SIBYLLINE   ORACLES.  [note  J. 

He  ^  will  bear  a  crown  of  thorns  :  for  of  thorns  ^^ 

The  eternal  crown  of  chosen  saints  shall  come.  295 

They  shall  pierce  his  side  with  a  spear  on  account  of  their  law, 

Since  from  reeds, -^  moved  by  another  spirit. 

The  sonl's  inclinations,  anger  and  revenge,  are  nourished. 

He  will  spread  his  hands  and  measure  all  the  world. 

Giving  gall  for  food  and  vinegar  to  drink,  300 

They  shall  spread  this  table  of  inhospitality. 

But  when  all  these  things  mentioned  shall  be  finished, 
Then  in  him  the  whole  Law  is  abolished  which  at  first 
Was  given  to  mortal  opinions  because  ^^  of  a  disobedient  people. 
Rent  is  the  veil  of  the  temple,  and  in  mid-day  305 

Shall  be  dark  monstrous  night  for  tiiree  hours. 
For,  cessation  of  service  to  temple  and  concealed  Law, 
Veiled  by  worldly  fontasics,  was  again  manifested 
On  the  Ruler's  descent  into  the  enduring  earth. 
He  will  come  to  the  underworld  announcing  to  all  310 

The  consecrated,  hope,  end  of  ages  and  the  last  day, 
And  will  a\)olish  death  by  sleeping  till  the  third  day ; 
And  then,  freed  from  the  departed,  will  come  to  liglit, 
The  first  to  show  the  chosen  a  beginning  of  the  resurrection. 

[Washed  in  the  waters  of  an  immortal  fountain  315 

From  their  former  wickedness,  that  born  again  from  above 
They  may  no  longer  be  slaves  to  immoralities  of  the  world.] 

First  the  Lord  is  seen  by  his  owx  [disciples] 

In  the  flesh  as  formerly.      On  hands  and  feet  he  will  show 

To  HIS  OWN,  four  marks  impressed  on  his  members.  320 

The  East,  the  West,  the  South,  the  North, 

For  so  many  kingdoms  of  the  world  shall  fulfil 

The  lawless  reprehensible  deed  on  our  image. 

Sibylline  Oracles,  8,  250-323. 


'■^^  The  next  half-dozen  lines,  299-304,  are  given  in  the  order  of  Alex- 
andre. 

■^1  The  word  &Kav6oi  has  a  double  meaning,  indicating  thorn  and  also 
(according  to  Liddcll  and  Scott)  "a  plant  much  used  in  works  of  art, 
es]>pninlly  Corinthian  caiiitals." 

'■^'^  Tlie  word  for  sjicar  and  rccd  t;d\a,uos  is  the  same  in  the  original. 

^  Compare  Justin  ilartyr,  Dial.  IJ,  (quoted  in  Judaism  on  p.  343. 


NOTE  K.]  HERMES  TRISMEGISTUS,   MERCURY.  179 

No.  4. 

Hail,  Zion,  much  suffering  daughter, 

Thy  king  enters  riding  on  a  colt,  325 

Appearing  gentle  to  all,  that  our  yoke. 

Slavish,  grievous,  on  the  neck  he  may  carry  off, 

And  end  godless  laws  and  galling  fetters. 

Know  him  thy  God,  the  Son  of  God, 

Praising  him  and  having  him  in  thy  heart ;  330 

Love  him  with  thy  soul  and  bear  his  name. 

Reject  those  who  preceded,-''  and  wash  from  his  blood. 

For  observances  and  petitions  do  not  propitiate  him ; 

Nor,  Immortal,  does  he  heed  perishable  sacrifices. 

But,  uttering  with  thy  mind  the  cure  of  his  holy  teaching,    335 

Know  this  one,  and  you  shall  see  his  Parent. 

Sibylline  Oracles,  8,  324  -  336. 


NOTE    K. 

HEPtllES   TRISMEGISTUS,   MERCURY   THRICE   GREATEST. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  second  century  astrological  and 
other  works  —  doubtless  of  heathen  origin  —  were  circulat- 
ing in  the  name  of  Mercury.^  This  probably  suggested  to 
some  Christian  of  the  less  scrupulous  sort,  that  Mercury  might 
be  made  to  teach  better  things  than  astrology.  In  order  tliat 
his  production  might  seem  even  more  authoritative  than  pi'ior 
ones  in  the  name  of  that  god,  he  ascribed  it  to  Hermes  Tris- 
megistus,  or  Mercury,  Thrice  Greatest,  and  designates  the 
production  as  Adyos  xeAcio?,  the  "  Perfect  Discourse,"  or  the 
"  Final  ^  Discourse,"  intending  probalily  to  give  it  position 
above  all  other  productions  of  the  same  personage. 

^*  Tlie  meaninjT  seems  to  be,  reject  tlie  Jews  and  by  so  doing  wash 
your  hands  from  the  crime  of  putting  Jesus  to  death. 

*  Clement  mentions  {Strom.  6,  35  ;  0pp.  edit.  Potter,  ]).  757)  four 
books  on  astrology  and  two  others,  one  of  which  contained  liynins  to  tlio 
gods,  while  the  second  contained  a  computation  of,  or  rules  for,  a  regal 
life. 

2  A  passage  attributed  to  Orpheus  (citcnl  in  Jiitlaism,  ]ip.  337-338) 
represents  him  as  saying  to  his  son,  "  I  speak  trutli  lest  [my  ?]  former 
views  should  rob  you  of  longed-for  eternity."  Pi'rha])s  in  tJie  jjivscnt 
case  the  heading  of  the  Discourse  meant  that  the  views  here  given  were 
the  latest  teachings  of  Jlercurv. 


180  HEUMES  TIUSMEGISTUS,   MERCURY.  [note   K. 

In  the  first  half  of  the  fourth  century  Lactantius  prefixes  to 
his  quotations  from  this  work  an  account  of  Mercury,^  which  can 
hardly  have  originated  earher  than  the  hxtter  half  of  tlie  tliird 
century.  In  it  Mercury  is  made  to  prochiim  a  Supreme  Being 
devoid  of  name,  also  one  subordinate  and  created  God,  and 
some  other  views  common  among  Christians. 

"  This  [Mercury]  wrote  books,  and  indeed  many  of  them, 
pertaining  to  the  knowledge  of  divine  things,  in  which  he 
asserts  the  majesty  of  the  Supreme  and  Sole  God,  and  calls 
him  by  the  same  names  as  ourselves,  'God  and  Father,'  and 
lest  any  one  should  ask  his  name,  says  that  he  is  di/ww/xov, 
'  WITHOUT  NAME.'  .  .  .  His  words  are  these  :  'God  is  one,  but 
THE  One  does  not  need  a  name,  for  the  self-existent  is 

WITHOUT  name.'  " Div.  Inst.  1,  6. 

"  Hermes  [Mercury]  .  .  .  who  not  onl}'  said  that  man  had 
been  made  in  the  image  of  God,  but  also  tried  to  explain  it." 
—  Div.  Inst.  2,  11. 

"  Hermes  [Mercury]  affirms  that  those  who  have  known  God 
are  not  only  safe  from  attacks  of  demons,  but  are  not  even 
subject  to  fate.     He  says  :  '  The  sole  protection  is  practical 

MONOTHEISM,  FOR  NEITHER  AN  EVIL  DEMON  NOR  FATE  HAS  CON- 
TROL OF  THE  PRACTICALLY  MONOTHEISTIC  MAN,  FOR  GOD  FREES 
THE  PRACTICAL  MONOTHEIST  FROM  EVERY  EVIL,  FOR  PRACTICAL 
MONOTHEISM  IS  THE  ONE  AND  SOLE  GOOD  IN  MEN.'  "  Div.  Inst. 

2,  ic. 

"  Trismegistus,  who,  I  hardly  know  how,  investigated  al- 
most all  truth,  often  described  the  excellence  and  majesty  of 
the  Word."  —  Div.  Inst.  4,  9. 

"  The  Father  God,  .  .  .  since  he  lacks  parents,  is  justly 
named  by  Trismegistus,  '  Fatherless  and  Motherless.'  "  — 
Div.  Inst.  4,  13. 

8  Lactantius,  after  devoting  five  chajiters  to  other  matter,  says  : 
"  Let  us  now  pass  to  divine  testimonies,  but  first  I  will  bring  forward  one 
whieli  is  akin  to  divine,  both  because  of  its  exceeding  age,  and  because 
he  whom  1  shall  name  was  transferred  from  mortals  into  the  category  of 
gods. 

"  In  the  writings  of  Cicero,  C.  Cotta,  high-priest,  disputing  against 
tlie  Stoics,  .  .  .  states  that  there  were  five  ^lercuries,  and  after  enumer- 
ating four  of  them  in  order,  [says]  the  fifth  was  that  one  by  whom  Argus 
was  killed,  and  who  '  fled  on  that  account  into  Egypt,  and  delivered  laws 
and  literature  (/tV^c/Yw)' to  the  Egyptians.'  .  .  . 

"  He  also  founded  a  town  which  even  now  is  in  Greek  called  Hermojio- 
lis  ;  .  .  .  who,  although  a  man,  was  most  ancient  and  most  instructed 
in  every  Wnd  of  learning,  so  that  [his]  knowledge  of  many  things  and  arts 
fixed  on  him  the  name  of  Trismegistus."  —  Div.  List.  1,  G. 


NOTE  K.]  HEKMES  TRISMEGISTUS,   MERCURY.  181 

" Hermes  Trismegistus,  .  .  .  who  agrees  in  words  as  well 
as  substance  with  us,  tliat  is,  with  the  prophets  whom  we  fol- 
low, and  sjjeaks  thus  concernini;- justice  :  '  O  Son,  adore  and 
WORSHIP  THIS  verbum  Teaching,'  but  the  sole  worsliip  of  God 
is  not  to  be  evil.  .   .   .   '  These  [frankincense  and  spices],  and 

THINGS  similar  TO  THESE,  ARE  NOT  APPROPRIATE  TO  HiM,  FOR 
HE  IS  FULL  OF  ALL  THINGS  WHICH  EXIST  AND  HAS  NOT  THE 
SLIGHTEST  NEED  OF  ANY  THING,  BUT  WE  ADORE  HIM  BY  GIVING 
THANKS,   FOR    HIS    SACRIFICE    IS    SIMPLY  BENEDICTION.'"  Div. 

Inst.  6,  25. 

"  Hermes  [Mercury]  did  not  ignore  that  man  was  formed 
by  God  and  in  the  image  of  God."  —  Div.  Inst.  7,  4. 

"  I  have  made  clear,  as  I  think,  that  the  soul  is  not  disso- 
luble. It  remains  to  cite  the  witnesses  by  whose  authoi'ity 
my  arguments  may  be  corroborated.  Neither  will  I  call  the 
prophets  to  testify  .  .  .  but  those  [witnesses]  rather  to  whom 
it  is  necessary  that  the  rejecters  of  true  religion  veritatem 
should  yield  credence.  Hermes,  describing  the  nature  of 
man,  .   .  .  introduces  these  [remarks].     God  '  made  the  same 

FROM  BOTH  NATURES,  THE  MORTAL  AND  THE  IMMORTAL,  [iNTo] 
THE  ONE  NATURE  OF  MAN,  MAKING  HIM  PARTLY  IMMORTAL,  PARTLY 
MORTAL,  AND  PLACED  HIM  HALF-WAY  BETWEEN  A  DIVINE  IMMOR- 
TAL NATURE  AND  A  MORTAL  MUTABLE  ONE,  THAT,  SEEING  ALL 
THINGS  [mortal  AND  IMMORTAL],  HE  MIGHT  ADMIRE  ALL  THINGS.'  " 

—  Div.  Inst.  7,  13. 

"  In  that  book  which  is  called  the  Perfect  (or  Final)  Dis- 
course, after  enumeration  of  the  evils  concerning  which  we 
have  spoken,  he  adds  these  things :  '  But  when  these  things 
shall  thus  take  place,  0  esculapius,  then  the  lord,  and 
Father,  and  God,  and  Creator,  of  the  first  and  one  [sub- 
ordinate] God,  looking  at  the  things  which  take  place  — 
even  such  [as  occur]  by  His  will  —  opposing  to  disorder 
what  is  good  and  recalling  what  wanders,  and  purifying 
what  is  wicked,  sometimes  dissolving  by  much  water,  and 
sometimes  burning  out  by  the  fiercest  fire,  and  sometimes 
crushing  out  by  w^ars  and  famines,  leads  [back  again]  to 

the  ancient  condition  and  replaces  his  world.'  " div. 

Inst.  7,  18. 


182  ALLEGED    UNCANONICAL  GOSPELS.  [xOTE 


NOTE  L. 


ALLEGED   UNCANONICAL  GOSPELS. 

Luke  in  the  beginning  of  his  Gospel  (1,  1,  2)  mentions 
that  "  many  have  undertaken  to  arrange  a  narrative  of  the 
events  accompHshed  among  us,  conformably  to  the  accounts 
given  us  by  those  who  were  eye-witnesses  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  [who]  have  become  ministers  of  the  religion."  No 
trace  remains  of  the  narratives  to  which  he  refers  unless 
Matthew's  Gospel,  then  extant  only  in  Hebrew,  was  among 
those  which  he  had  in  mind.  His  form  of  expression  renders 
probable  tliat  some  individuals  after  listening  to  detached  por- 
tions of  the  Master's  history  had  endeavored  in  writing  to 
connect  and  arrange  them.  Probably  these  imperfect  attempts 
were  laid  aside  by  their  authors  or  readei's  so  soon  as  fuller 
and  more  connected  narratives  appeared. 

Some  modern  writers  suppose  that  various  Gospels  ex- 
isted in  the  second  century,  from  which  the  four  now  in  use 
were  selected,  or  out  of  which  they  were  formed  or  in  op- 
position to  which  they  were  fabricated.  This  view,  in  a  crude 
shape,  is  expressed  by  Hone  and  Tischendorf  ^     It  is  also  held 

1  "After  the  writings  contained  in  the  New  Testament  were  selected 
from  the  numerous  Gospels  and  Epistles  then  in  existence,  what  became 
of  the  books  that  were  rejected  by  the  compilers  ? "  —  Jpoc.  N.  Test. 
p.  V.  Hone,  in  answer  to  the  foregoing,  presents  his  reader  a  collection 
of  documents  classified  by  him  as  Gospels  and  Epistles,  not  one  of  which 
professes  to  record  the  ministry  of  Jesus. 

"  Tlie  definition  of  Apocryphal  Gospels  is  [Gospels]  opposed  to  Canon- 
ical ones  ;  unless  you  prefer  to  contend  that  in  the  eailiest  times  Canon- 
ical Gospels  were  [created  ?]  in  opposition  to  apocryphal  ones.  .  .  .  When 
first  the  Canonical  Gospels  by  consent  of  the  Church  began  to  be  sejia- 
rated  from  the  great  number  of  writings  in  circulation,  it  is  obvious  that 
yet  other  and  new  [writings]  which  were  issued  could  not  aspire  to  evan- 
gelical authority  unless  they  feigned  the  same  valued  peculiarity  (viriutem) 
with  those  [canonical  ones].    .   .  . 

"  Whence  it  is  to  be  concluded  that  no  Gospels  were  reckoned  apocry- 
phal before  the  Canon  of  Sacred  Books  existed  in  the  ancient  church." — 
C.  Tischendorf,  Dc  Evang.  Apoc.  Oriqinr,  et  Usn,  pp.  1,  2. 

Tischendorf,  after  arguing  (])p.  3,  4)  from  Iremeus,  Tatian,  and  The- 
opliilus,  writers  after  the  middle  of  the  second  century,  that  "in  the 
o[)inion  of  the  most  numerous  autl  of  the  princijial  [Christian]  teachei-s 
the  Gospel  Cunon  pcene  jam  coxs^iYmci  had  now  been  almost  established," 


NOTE   L.]  ALLEGED   UNCANONICAL  GOSPELS.  183 

in  several  shapes  by  other  writers,  especially  in  Germany,  an 
extract  from  one  of  the  more  thoughtful  of  whom  is  sub- 
joined.^ Attention  to  four  meanings  of  the  word  Gospel  and 
to  some  historical  facts  should  precede  examination  of  these 
uncanonical  works. 

One  meaning  of  this  term  is  a  record  of  the  life  of  Jesus. 
A  second  meaning,  common  among  early  Christians,  was  the 
FOUR  RECORDS  or  Gospcls  in  contradistinction  from  the  Epis- 
tles. A  third  meaning  is  the  interpretation  put  upon 
Christ's  teaching,  or  that  of  his  Apostles,  by  an  individual 
or  a  sect.  Thus  the  Gospel  according  to  Calvin,  or  according 
to  Wesley,  would  be  readily  understood  as  meaning  the  inter- 
pretation by  those  individuals  of  New  Testament  teaching.  A 
fourth  meaning  is,  a  Gospel,  or  the  four  Gospels,  as  trans- 
lated OR  annotated  by  some  individual.  Thus  "  Camp- 
bell's Four  Gospels  "  would  be  readily  understood  to  mean  his 
translation  of,  and  annotations  un,  the  four  Gospels.  Among 
early  Christians  such  a  work  would  have  been  termed  Camp- 
bell's Gospel,  the  latter  word  distinguishing  the  four  collec- 
tively from  the  Epistles. 

In  the  days  of  Irenajus  and  of  Tatian,  probably  about  a.  d. 
170,  it  is  obvious  that  four  Gospels  only  were  in  common  use. 

adds  (p.  4),  "  therefore  from  the  time  which  immediately  preceded  the 
middle  of  the  second  centiuy  until  almost  the  close  of  the  fourth,  was 
the  era  of  Apocryphal  Gospels." 

It  would  —  with  the  exception  of  our  four  Gos]iels— be  difficult  or 
impossible  to  point  out  in  the  era  mentioned  a  single  document  profess- 
edly of  Christian  origin,  which  assumed  to  narrate  the  life  or  ministry  of 
Jesus. 

An  earlier  and  common  error  in  Europe  paved  the  way  for  such  views 
as  the  foregoing.  It  aj)]iears  in  the  following  extract  from  Mosheim : 
"  Not  long  after  the  Savior's  ascension,  various  histories  of  his  life  and 
doctrines,  full  of  impositions  and  fables,  were  com])osed  by  persons,  .  .  . 
superstitious,  .simple,  and  jjiously  fraudulent  ;  and  afterwards,  various 
other  spurious  writings  wei'e  palmed  upon  the  world,  falsely  inscribed 
with  the  names  of  the  holy  Apostles."  —  £"00.  Hist.  Century  I.  Part  2, 
Ch.  2,  §  IT,  Mnrdock's  trans.  1,  p.  73.  Mosheim,  however,  did  not 
suppose  that  the  Gospels  and  other  writings  of  the  New  Testament  had 
merely  been  selected  out  of  this  mess  by  the  good  or  bad  judgment  of 
men. 

^  "  In  addition  to  our  canonical  Gospels,  Christian  antiquity  was  ac- 
quainted with  several  others  ;  and  it  is  in  the  last  degree  needful  to  ob- 
tain as  accurate  a  knowledge  of  these  as  possible,  for  the  o])inion  is  ]>retty 
wide-spread  that  some  of  them  are  older  and  more  original  than  our 
canonical  Gospels."  —  De  Wette,  Inlrodud.  to  N.  Test.,  p.  87  ;  Frolh- 
inghum's  trmis. 


184  ALLEGED   UN  CANONICAL  GOSPELS.  [note  L, 

The  effort  of  Irenteus  to  explain  why  this  precise  number  ex- 
isted implies  that  its  existence  was  well  recognized.^  Tatian 
also  made  a  Diatessaroii,^  a  harmony  or  synopsis  of  the  four. 

Somewhat  earlier  we  find  two  classes  of  men,  intensely  un- 
like each  other,  called  Gnostics.  Both  classes  originated  after 
an  imbittered  war  between  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  both  held 
that  the  God  of  the  Jews  was  not  the  God  of  the  Christians, 
but  a  different  being.^  Marciou,  the  leader  of  one  class,  adopted, 
or  made  special  use  of,  the  Gospel  of  Luke,  who  was  a  Gentile 
and  a  companion  of  Paul."  From  this  he  expurgated  what  he 
could  not,  even  by  forced  explanation,  fit  into  his  system,  but 

^  Irenaeus,  after  specifying  (cont.  Hceres.  3,  1,  ])  Matthew,  Mark, 
Luke,  ami  John  as  having  each  written  one  of  the  Gospels,  adds  as  fol- 
lows :  "Nor  can  there  be  more  or  fewer  Gospels  than  these.  For  as 
there  are  four  regions  of  the  world  in  which  we  live,  and  four  cardinal 
winds,  and  the  cT^iurch  is  spread  over  all  the  earth,  and  the  Gospel  is  tiie 
jiillar  and  support  of  the  Church,  and  the  breath  of  life  ;  in  like  manner 
is  it  fit  tiiat  it  should  have  four  pillars."  —  Cont.  Hceres.  3,  11,  y  ;  0pp.  1, 
jip.  467,  468,  edit.  Stieren,  Nurlon's  trans.  On.  p.  467  Stieren  has  er- 
roneously c.  12  for  c.  11. 

Eusebius  {Ecc.  Hist.  3,  :^7)  mentions  Quadratus  as  engaged  in  teach- 
ing at  the  same  time  with  tlie  daughters  of  Philiji,  and  states  that  the 
disciples  of  that  age  were  accustomed  "to  distribute  the  writing  of  the 
divine  Gos])els."  As  Philip  was  executed  in  A.  D.  52  (see  Judaism, 
p.  238)  tlie  ministr}'  of  his  daughters  can  scarcely  be  placed  later  than 
the  close  of  the  first  century.  Quadratus  lived  into  the  first  quarter  of 
the  second  century,  for  he  presented  an  Ajtology  to  Hadrian.  Eusebius 
would  not  have  termed  any  Gosjjels  divine  except  the  four  recognized  in 
his  day,  and  unless  his  information  were  inaccurate,  these  four  must  in 
the  time  of  Quadratus  have  had  an  established  authority. 

^  "  Tatian  juitting  together,  I  know  not  on  what  plan,  a  synojisis  and 
harmony  of  the  evangelists,  called  this  to  5id  readdpuv,  '  The  four 
collated,' which  even  yet  is  in  circulation  among  some." — Eusebius, 
Ecc.  Hist.  4,  •-'<).  In  the  fifth  century  Theodoret  (Hccrct.  Fab.  1,  -io)  took 
away  two  hundred  copies  of  this  Diatessaron  which  he  found  used  and 
esteemed  by  churches  that  he  regarded  as  sound  in  the  faith.  His  only 
cliarge  against  it  is  its  omission  of  tlie  genealogies  (which  perhaps  Tatian 
could  not  harmonize)  and  of  the  descent  from  David. 

^  See  touching  these  men  Judaism,  pp.  331  -  336. 

6  Irenaeus  speaks  (3,  11,  7)  of  Marciou  "as  mutilating  the  Gospel 
according  to  Luke."  Coni)iare  Irenseus  1,  27,  2.  Tertullian  says  : 
"  ilarcion  seems  to  have  selected  Luke  as  the  [one]  whom  he  would  cut 
up."  ytdv.  Marc.  r>.  Compare  in  Norton's  Genuineness,  Vol.  3,  Ap- 
pendix, Note  C,  his  remarks  on  this  Gosjiel. 

Ajielles,  the  disciple  of  JLarcion,  seems  to  have  used  the  same  expur- 
gated co])y  of  Luke.  The  term  Gospel  of  Marcion,  or  Gosjiel  of  Apelles, 
meant  sometimes  this  expurgated  co])y,  and  sometimes,  jierhaps,  the  sys- 
tem which  they  based  upon  it.  Neither  of  these  two  individuals  doubted 
the  authorship  of  the  four  Gospels,  but  they  supposed  the  evangelists,  be- 


NOTE   L.]  ALLEGED   UNCANONICAL   GOSPELS.  185 

used  from  the  other  Gospels  what  he  thought  could  be  pressed 
into  its  support. 

The  chief  division  of  the  other  class  was  the  Valentinians,  or 
followers  of  Valeutinus.  These  used  especially,  but  not  ex- 
clusively, John's  Gospel."'  lleracleon,  one  of  them,  wrote  a 
commentary  on  it,  the  remnants  of  which  will  be  found  col- 
lected by  Massuet  in  his  edition  of  Irenajus,  pp.  362  -  376,  in 
which  work  also  an  extract  from  his  commentary  on  Luke  will 
be  found  on  p.  362.  Another  portion  of  this  class  used  Mark's 
Gospel.^     Basilides  will  be  subsequently  mentioned. 

It  seems  impossible  that  other  records  concerning  the  min- 
istry of  Jesus  should  have  been  afloat  in  Gentile  communities, 
and  that  the  Gnostics,  instead  of  drawing  from  them,  should 
have  needed  forced  interpretation  and,  in  the  case  of  Marcion, 
mutilation  of  the  records  yet  in  use. 

We  have  the  direct  testimony  of  Ireufcus  that  the  Heretics, 
under  which  title  he  specifies  the  Ebionites,  Marcionites,  Val- 
entinians, and  others,  used  our  Gospels.^  This  testimony 
comes  from  one  who  would  have  been  prompt  to  point  out  any 
tendency  of  the  Heretics  to  use  records  other  than  what  he 
deemed  sanctioned.  We  have,  moreover,  the  statement  of 
Tertullian  that  the  Heretics  should  not  be  allowed  to  use  the 
Christian  Scriptures,^"  —  a  superfluous  statement,  if  the  rec- 
ords which  they  used  were  from  other  hands  than  those  rec- 
ognized by  Christians  generally. 

cause  of  their  Jewish  education,  to  have  misunderstood  the  Master's 
teaching. 

A  letter  of  Origen  preserved  only  in  a  Latin  translation,  implies  that 
Marcion  and  Apelles,  even  if  they  made  most  use  of  Luke,  must  have  used 
tlie  remaining  tlu-ee  Gospels.  "  You  see  .  .  .  with  what  expurgation  Mar- 
cion expurgated  the  Gospels  or  the  Epistles  Apostolum,  or  with  what  his 
successor,  Apelles,  after  him  [did  the  same]."  —  Ori^en,  Ejnst.  0pp.  1, 
p.  6  B,  edit,  de  la  Rue. 

^  "The  Valentinians  making  copious  use  of  that  [Gospel]  which  is 
according  to  John."  — Irenasus,  3,  11,  7. 

8  "Those  who  distiiigaiisli  .J(!sus  from  the  Christ,  and  say  that  Christ 
remained  without  suffering,  but  that  Jesus  suH'ered,  preferring  the  Gos- 
pel according  to  Mark,  if  they  read  it  with  the  love  of  truth,  can  be  cor- 
rected."—  Ibid.  This  perhaps  means  that  Mark's  Gospel  admitted  less 
easily  than  John's  of  vague  and  fanciful  interj)retations. 

^  "Such  is  the  established  autliority  of  the  Gospels  that  the  Heretics 
themselves  render  testimony  to  them,  and  each  one  of  them  who  goes  out 
[from  Christianity]  endeavor-i  to  confirm  his  teaching  out  of  them."  — 
Irenaeus,  cont.  Hceres.  3,  11,  7.  The  passage  is  found  only  in  the  Latin 
translation. 

^^  "They  (the  Heretics)  offer  the  Scriptures,  and  by  this  their  auda- 


186  ALLEGED   UNCANONICAL  GOSPELS.  [note   L. 

We  will  now  endeavor  to  classify  these  supposed  uncanoni- 
cal  Gospels.  Lack  of  leisure  and  sight  prevent  that  fuller 
treatment  which  I  could  wish.  The  general  reader  will  find 
all  that  he  needs  in  Norton's  Genuineness,  3,  pp.  214-286; 
abridged  edit.  pp.  340-391. 

1.  Records,  Matthew  and  Luke  under  other  names.  Mat- 
thew's Gospel,  in  what  was  then  called  Hebrew,"  was  used 
by  Hebrew  Christians,  also  called  Nazarenes  or  Ebionites,  and 
hence  received  the  name  of  "Gospel  to  the  Hebrews,"  "to  the 
Nazarenes,"  "  to  the  Ebionites,"  and  also  according  to  Jerome 
"Gospel  of  the  Apostles,"  otherwise  called,  perhaps,  "of  the 
Twelve  Apostles."  '^  Some  copies  of  it  had  interpolations  not 
extant  in  Matthew.*^ 

Bartholomew  is  said  to  have  carried  this   Hebrew  Gospel 

city  at  once  influence  some.  .  .  .  M'^e  interpose  that  they  are  not  to  be 
admitted  to  a  dispute  from  the  Scriptures."  —  Dc  Piccscripl.  Hcerd.  1.5; 
Oirp.  p.  236  C.  "The  reason  for  what  we  propose  is  obvious  ;  that  the 
Heretics  are  not  to  be  admitted  to  enter  uion  an  argument  from  the 
Scriptures.  .  .  .  Not  being  Cliristians,  nullum  jus  c(q)iuat  Christiana- 
rum  liternrum,  tliey  have  no  legal  riglit  to  the  Christian  records."  — 
De  Prwsci'ipt.  Hceret.  .'iT  ;  0pp.  242  1). 

11  Tlie  Nazarenes  "have  the  Gospel  according  to  JIatthew  in  its  fullest 
shape,  in  the  Hebrew  language."  —  Epiphanius, //a-rcs.  29,  9.  The 
Ebionites  "also  receive  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew,  for  they,  as 
also  the  followers  of  Cerinthus,  use  this  Gospel  ;  they  call  it  [the  Gospel] 
according  to  the  Hebrews."  —  Ila-rcs.  30,  :i.  "Matthew  .  .  .  composed 
the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  Hebrew  letters  and  words.  .  .  .  Further  :  the 
Hebrew  itself  is  preserved  until  this  day  in  the  library  at  Ciiesarea."  — 
Jerome,  de  Fir.  Illust.  :i  ;  0pp.  2,833,  edit.  Vallars.  "The  Gospel 
also  wliich  is  called  according  to  the  Hebrews,  and  which  was  lately 
translated  by  me  into  the  Greek  and  Latin,  and  which  Origen  oftea 
used."  — Z^c  Vir.  Illust.  2;  0pp.  2,  831.  Cp.  Eiiseb.  Ecc.  Hist.  3,  2o5 
"The  Gospel  which  the  Nazarenes  and  Ebionites  use  .  .  .  and  whiidiis 
called  by  many  \or  most],  a plerisqus,  the  authentic  IGosjjcI]  of  Mat- 
thew." —  Jerome,  Comment,  in  Malt.  12,  ];>  ;  Ojip.  7,  77. 

12  "The  Gospel  according  to  the  Hebrews  .  .  .  which  the  Nazarenes 
yet  use  —  [that,  namely]  according  to  the  Apostles,  or  as  many  think, 
according  to  Afatthetv  [in  its  genuine  form  ?]  —  which  is  in  the  library  of 
C;T?sarea." — Jerome,  conl.  Pclag.  3;  Opp.  2,  col.  782,  edit.  Vallars. 
Comiiare  Horn.  1  on  Luke,  Origenis  Opp.  3,  933  B  (5,  87).  Jerome  omits, 
and  the  Homilies  use,  the  word  "  Twelve"  before  Apostles.  If  the  Apos- 
tles while  working  collectively  in  Jndea  used  any  written  Gospel  it  must 
have  been  this,  the  others  being  in  Greek. 

13  See  ancient  (juotations  from  tlie  Gospels  in  Grabe,  Spicileg.,  1, 
pp.  2.5 -3L  Those  by  Clement  and  Origen  (i)p.  26-27)  nuist  have  ex- 
isted in  the  second  or  third  century.  Those  quoted  by  otlier  writers  may 
in  several  instances  have  found  their  way  into  it  at  a  later  date.     The 


NOTE   L.]  ALLEGED   UNCANONICAL   GOSPELS.  187 

to  India."  Cerinthus  is  said  to  have  made  special  use  of  it.^^ 
Hence  the  terms  (Jerome  Prciefixt.  in  Matt.)  "  Gospel  of  Bar- 
tholomew," (Epiphan.  Haires.  51,  7)  "Gospel  of  Cerinthus." 
These  terms,  however,  can  never  have  had  much  currency, 
and  may  have  been  unknown  to  the  first  three  centuries. 

The  Gospel  of  Marcion  or  of  Apelles  (see  note  6)  was  an 
altered  copy  of  Luke. 

2.  Commentaries  and  Expositions.  Basilides  wrote  an  ex- 
position of  the  Gospels  in  twenty-four  books,^^  which  at  a  later 
date  seems  to  have  been  called  his  Gospel."  The  Gospel  of 
Thomas,  judged  by  our  only  extract  from  it,^*  may  have  been 
some  exposition  of  passages  in  the  Gospels.  A  Gospel  of  Truth, 
attributed  to  the  Valentinians  by  IreiiKus  (3,  11,  0,  cp.  Tertul- 
lian,  de  Prcescript.  Hoeret.  40),  must  have  been  expository  or 
doctrinal.  Nothing  historical  from  it  is  quoted  or  contro- 
verted by  any  one. 

3.  Doctrinal  Works.  Serapion  early  in  the  third  centur}'^ 
mentions  the  Gospel  of  Peter.'^  The  work,  obviously  not  his- 
torical, may  have  been  some  portion  of  the  Clementines,^  or 

Jewish  Christians  who  used  Matthew  in  the  original,  soon  became  an 
unimportant  sect.  It  is  hardly  ]iossil)le  that  they  had  among  them 
trained  copyists  equal  to  those  in  the  Greek  book-markets.  Some  jias- 
sages  from  Luke  and  Jolui  (not  always  closely  translated  into  Hebrew), 
or  marginal  paraphrases  and  comments  on  the  same,  seem,  with  a  little 
other  matter,  to  have  been  copied  into  the  text. 

1*  "  Panta;nus  .  .  .  is  said  to  have  gone  to  the  Indians;  where,  it  is 
connnoidy  said,  he  found  the  Gospel  of  Watthew,  which  before  his  arri- 
val had  been  delivered  to  some  in  that  country,  who  had  the  knowledge 
of  Christ :  to  whom  Bartholomew,  one  of  the  Aiiostles,  is  said  to  have 
l)reached,  and  to  have  left  with  them  that  writing  of  Matthew  in  He- 
brew letters,  and  that  it  was  preserved  among  them  to  that  time."  — 
Eusebius,  Ecc.  Hist.  5,  \\  w  ;  Lardners  trans. 

1"  Epiphanius,  Hares.  30,  \\. 

1*'  Agiipjia  Castor,  cited  by  Eusebius,  Ecc.  Hist.  4,  7. 

1"  Hom.  1  on  Luke,  Origenis  0pp.  3,  933  C  (5,  87). 

*^  In  the  Philosophumena  (5,  7,  p.  101,  edit,  ilillcr)  is  an  extract 
at  second  hand  IVom  the  (iospel  of  Thomas.  "  He  who  seeks  me  will  find 
me  in  children  after  their  seventh  year,  for  there  —  to  become  concealed 
in  their  fourteenth  yeai'  —  I  am  manifested."  —  Cp.  Matt.  18,  .").  The 
work  is  also  mentioned  in  Hom.  1  on  Luke,  Oiigenis  0pp.  3,  933  C, 
(5,  87). 

^*  Eusebius,  Ecc.  Hist.  6,  12. 

""^^^Iii  early  writers  a  subject  is  sometimes  presented  (see  Judaism, 
l>.  177)  by  selecting  disputants  on  either  side  into  whose  mouths  the 
arguinents  of  respective  schools  are  ])ut.  The  author  of  the  Clementine 
Homilies  and  Recognitions  selects  Peter  as  the  i)erson  wlio  shall  pre- 
sent true  views,   and  Simon  Magus  as  the  ojipouent  who  is  to  present 


188  ALLEGED    UNCANONICAL   GOSPELS.  [note   L. 

of  a  similar  work.  A  Gospel  of  Matthias  (cp.  Acts  1,  26)  is 
mentioned  by  Eusebius  {Ere.  Hid.  3,  25)  and  by  tlie  Homilies 
on  Luke  (1,  Origen.  Opp.  3,  933  C).  Absence  of  any  appeal  to 
it  implies  that  it  was  not  a  history  of  Jesus.  It  must  have 
been  something  doctrinal. 

4.  Gospel  according  to  the  Egyptians.^  Uncertainty  as 
to  whether  this  belongs  under  the  first  or  third  of  the  preced- 
ing heads,  leads  me  to  treat  it  separately.  The  citations  fron; 
it  suggest  that  it  was  a  doctrinal  homily  (on  Matthew  22, 
301)  exceptional  in  that  it  selects  Jesus  as  speaker.  The 
citations  refer  to  the  absence  of  sex  in  the  next  life,  and 
the  fact  that  while  marrying  and  bearing  of  children  con- 
tinue death  also  will  continue.  There  may  have  been  some 
casual  reason  for  the  title  "  (xospcl  according  to  the  Egyptians." 
As  no  such  reason,   however,    is  apparent,   1   think  the  fol- 

false  views  of  the  subjects  (hscussed.  In  another  document  culled  the 
Preaching  of  Peter  it  is  also  obvious  that  Peter  is  merely  selected  as 
spokesman.  Their  authors  had  no  thought  of  passing  olf  these  produc- 
tions as  written  or  uttered  by  that  Apostle.  Tliey  merely  meant,  by 
selecting  him  as  spokesman,  to  indicate  their  adherence  to  a  belief  in  both 
dispensations  —  the  Jewish  and  Christian  —  as  having  proceeded  from 
the  same  God.  They  were  prompted  to  this,  jjcrhaps,  by  the  fact  that, 
of  the  two  bodies  opposed  to  this  view  one,  the  JIarcionites,  made  groat 
use  of  Paul's  writings,  while  the  other,  the  Valentinians,  used  chiefly 
tliose  of  John. 

hi  the  latter  of  these  documents  Peter  is  made  to  argue  from  the 
Scri]>tures  of  the  New  Testament  (Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  6,  Ji)  an  appeal 
which  would  have  been  deemed  needless,  or  even  derogatorj'  to  him  by 
one  who  was  trying  to  palm  off  the  work  as  his  genuine  production. 

In  one  portion  of  the  work  where  the  author  appeals  to  Sibylla  and 
Hystaspes  —  books  regarded  as  prophecies  addressed  to  heathen  com- 
munities—  Paul  is  introduced  (Clem.  Alex.,  Strom.  6,  ■JI-.',  43;  0pp. 
p.  761,  edit.  Potter)  as  the  personage  to  make  this  a]ipeal.  Probably  it 
would  have  been  deemed  out  of  place  in  the  mouth  of  Peter. 

21  In  the  third  century  it  is  mentioned  by  Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  3,  f>3, 
92,  93  (cp.  4,%  (i4)  and  by  the  author  of  the  Philoso]ihumena,  5,  7,  p.  98, 
edit.  Miller.  Later  mentions  are  found  in  the  Homilies  on  Luke  (see 
note  19)  and  Epiphan.  Ilcvrcs.  62,  i,  0pp.  1,  514,  who  probalJy  confused 
a  view  which  the  Philosophumena  ascribes  to  this  Gospel  with  otliers 
which  it  ascribes  to  the  Mystics.  Cp.  pseudo  Clem.  Rom.  Epist.  2,  1-2  ; 
ul.  .">.  The  (quotation  from  it  by  Clement  {Strom.  3,  k)  speaks  of  a  time 
"  When  .  .  .  the  male  with  the  female  shall  be  neither  male  nor  female" 
(cp.  ]\Iatt.  22,  :;o).  This  may  have  been  the  passage  on  which  the  OjJiites 
are  said  (PhilosojJurmena,  p.  98)  to  have  basc(l  their  view  of  transmuta- 
tion in  the  soul  or  its  affections.  That  the  Philo.sophumena  should  treat 
this  work  as  the  source  of  but  one  error  accords  witli  its  being  an  almost 
unknown  doctrinal  treatise,  or  a  tnuislation  cither  of  Matthew  or  the  four 
Gos])els,  in  some  manuscript  or  manuscripts  of  which  one  or  two  notes  or 
interpolatious  had  attracted  attention. 


NOTE  L.]  ALLEGED   UNCANONICAL  GOSPELS.  189 

lowing  explanation  probable.  A  translation  of  Matthew,^-  if 
not  of  the  four  Gospels,  may  already  have  been  made  into 
some  Egyptian  dialect.  In  one  or  more  manuscripts  of  this 
some  scribe  may  have  appended  as  a  note,  or  perhaps  inter- 
polated, an  extract  or  extracts  from  this  Homily.  On  this 
supposition  the  term  Gospel  according  to  the  Egyptians  would 
be  natural,  and  would  accord  with  the  fact  that  Clement  of 
Alexandria  who  quotes,  docs  not  appear  to  have  seen  the 
work. 

The  foregohig  includes,  I  believe,  every  uncanonical  Gospel 
mentioned  in  the  first  three  centuries.  So  far  as  concerns 
Eusebius,  Jerome,  Epiphauius,  or  the  Homilies  on  Luke,^^  it 
includes  mentions  of  later  date. 

When  Christianity  gained  the  upper  hand,  there  was  a  mo- 
tive which  did  not  previously  exist  for  fabricating  documents 
in  the  name  of  venerated  Christians.  Yet  even  then  any 
fabricated  histories  of  Jesus  concerned  themselves  with  his 
earlier  years,  not  with  his  ministry.  The  authority  of  the 
four  Gospels  seems  to  have  been  so  firm  as  to  preclude  other 
accounts  concerning  this  portion  of  his  life. 

22  The  number  of  Jews  in  Egypt  gives  plausibility  to  the  supposition 
that  ^Matthew's  Gospel  may  have  been  translated  earlier  than  the  others 
for  some  of  the  non-Greek-speaking  communities  of  Jewish  Christians. 

23  In  lie  la  Rue's  edition  of  Origen's  Works,  Vol.  3,  p.  932,  and  in  the 
edition  of  Lommatzsch,  5,  xxvii,  xxviii,  and  in  the  edition  of  Jerome 
by  Vallarsius,  3,  col.  245-248,  is  a  letter  of  Jerome,  which  in  the  last- 
mentioned  work  is  addressed  to  Paula  and  Eustochium.  In  all  these 
it  is  entitled  Prologue  to  Homilies  on  Luke,  there  attributed  to  Origen. 
In  this  letter  Jerome  says  that  a  lady  named  Bl.-esilla  had,  at  a  former 
date,  asked  him  to  issue  in  the  Latin,  Origen's  "thirty-six  [Vallars. 
twenty-five]  books  on  Matthew  and  five  others  on  Luke  and  thirty-nine 
[Vollars.  tliirty-two]  on  John," — a  recpiest,  as  he  said,  bej'ond  his 
strength  and  leisure,  but,  as  the  friends  who  now  addressed  him  had 
asked  only  for  the  translation  of  the  Homilies  on  Luke,  he  had  complied. 
Qunm  tamen  idcirco  nunc  fnciam,  quia  suhlimiora  non  ])0scitis. 

In  a  preceding  portion  of  the  letter  he  says  that  the  jiersons  whom  he 
addressed  had  asked  him  to  translate  the  [thirty-nine  ?  ?]  Homilies  on 
Luke  of  "  our  Adamantius,"  that  is,  of  Oiigen.  De  la  hue  and  Lom- 
matzsch omit  the  bracketed  number  thirty-nine.  It  is  doubtless  an  in- 
terpolation. It  contradicts  the  statement  in  the  same  letter  (a  statement 
in  which  all  texts  agree)  attributing  to  Origen  but  five  Homilies  on  Luke. 
If  this  be  so  the  thirty-nine  Homilies  must,  even  if  translated  by  Jerome, 
liave  been  from  some  other  writer  than  Origen.  Jerome  mentions  in  his 
de  Viris  Illustrihus  (lOn,  al.  118,  0pp.  2,  V-ol.  939,  edit.  Vallarsius  ;  1, 
p.  193,  Frankfort  edit.)  a  Didymus  of  Alexandria,  then  living,  as  having 
written  commentaries  on  ALitthew  and  John  which  he  (Jerome)  had 
translated  into  Latin.  Possibly  the  thirty-nine  Homilies  on  Luke  were 
from  the  same  source.     They  are  evidently  from  an  Alexandrine  writer. 


190  DATE  WHEN   JESUS   WAS   DEIFIED.  [note  m. 

NOTE    M. 
DATE  WHEN  JESUS  WAS  DEIFIED. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  third  century  the  deification  of 
Jesus  had,  at  least  in  some  localities,  considerable  foothold 
among  Gentile  Christians,  though  it  was  rejected  by  all  Jew- 
ish ones,  and  was  treated  by  many  Gentiles  as  a  dangerous 
m  novation.^ 

In  the  third  quarter  of  the  second  century  Justin  Martyr, 
the  earliest  extant  defender  of  this  view,  advocated  it  in  his 
discussion  with  a  Jew,  but  manifests  a  feeling  of  uncertainty 
touching  it,^  which  he  does  not  on  other  points.  At  a  yet 
earlier  date  —  probably  about  the  middle  of  the  century  ^  — 
he  wrote  an  Apology  addressed  to  a  heathen  emperor,  in  which 
he  designates  Jesus  as  the  angel  and  apostle  ^  of  the  Supreme 
Being,  basing  in  one  case  his  argument  on  a  use  of  the  former 
term    in   the    Old   Testament.^     Throughout  this   somewhat 

1  See  Judaism,  Ch.  XI.  notes  56,  57,  58,  60. 

^  "  '  But,  0  Trypho,'  I  said,  'his  being  the  Christ  of  God  is  not  an- 
nulled even  if  1  am  unable  to  sliow  that  he  pre-existed  as  a  God,  son  of  the 
Maker  of  all  things  and  was  born  a  man.'  —  Justin  Martyr,  Dial.  48  ; 
0pp.  2,  154  C. 

3  In  the  Jpology  (1,  -16  ;  0pp.  1,228-230)  Justin  places  the  birth  of 
Christ  150  years  previously.  In  his  Dialogue  (120  ;  0pp.  2,  400  C)  he 
alludes  to  the  Apologi/  as  already  written.  The  date  of  either  work  has 
however  been  much  discussed  and  differently  decided  b)'  diflerent  writers. 
The  war  mentioned  by  the  Jew  may  have  been  the  Jewish  one  under 
Hadrian,  or  that  under  Antoninus  Pius,  or  may  have  been  a  non-Jewish  war 
under  the  latter,  or  even  under  ilarcus  Antoninus.  If  the  first-mentioned 
be  the  one  referred  to,  then  we  must  suppose  that  Justin  wrote  out  the 
discussion  long  after  its  occurrence.  Cicero's  work  dc  Nat.  Deorum  was 
written  thirty  years  after  the  discussion  which  it  professes  to  narrate. 

*  "  Our  teacher —  who  is  both  son  of  the  Father  of  all  things  and 
Master  God  and  also  his  apostle  —  foretold  us  that  these  things  would 
happen."  —  Justin  Martyr,  A200I.  1,  L?  ;  0pp.  1,  162  A.  "These  [Old 
Testament]  teachings  are  given  as  proof  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  and 
Apostle  of  God,  having  previously  been  his  Logos,  and  appeared  some- 
times in  the  guise  of  fire  [at  the  burning  bush]  and  sometimes  in  the 
likeness  of  incorporeal  things."  —  Apol.  1,  (i.}  ;  0pp.  1,  262  A.  "We  do 
homage  to  .  .  .  the  son  .  .  .  and  to  the  host  of  otjier  good  angels 
who  are  his  followers  and  like  to  him.  .  .  .  "  —  Apol.  1,  u  ;  Oj)}).  1,  148, 
150  C.     Compare  fuller  quotation  in  Judaism,  p.  470. 

^  The  Jews — "having  it   expressly  stated  in   the  compositions  of 


NOTE   M.J  DATE   WHEN   JESUS   WAS   DEIFIED,  191 

elaborate  Apology  there  is  not  a  paragraph  nor  even  a  sentence 
devoted  to  argument  for,  nor  yet  to  a  statement  of,  the  deity 
of  Jesus.  With  a  possible  exception  soon  to  be  considered, 
that  doctrine  is  not  even  mentioned.^  The  omission  cannot 
have  been  occasioned  by  Gentile  repugnance,  since  after  the 
doctrine  was  in  existence  it  met  less  opposition  from  Gentile 
converts  than  from  Jewish  ones,''  and  the  only  natural  ex- 
planation of  it  is  that  the  view,  if  held,  had  not  yet  taken 
such  possession  of  Justin's  mind  as  it  afterwards  did. 

The  only  mention  of  the  doctrine  in  the  Ajxjlog)/  is  ap- 
pended,® a  mention  so  parenthetical  and  brief  that  its  omission 
would  not  impair  connection  of  the  sentence. 

Justin  in  his  larger  Apology  would,  by  any  reader  ignorant 
of  his  Dialogue,  be  understood  as  meaning  and  affirming  that 


Moses  (Exod.  3,  2,  6,  14,  15),  '  The  angel  of  God  spoke  to  Moses  in  a 
fiery  flame,  in  the  bush,  and  said  :  I  am  The  Being,  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham and  the  God  of  Isaac  and  the  God  of  Jacob  '  —  affirm  that  it  was  the 
Father  and  Artificer  of  all  things  who  spoke  these  words."  — Apol.  1,  (J3  ; 
0pp.  1,  262  A,  264  B. 

^  The  above  remark  holds  true  of  the  second  or  shorter  ^jiwZof/;/ without 
any  exception  ;  but  that  work  is  quite  brief  and  was  written  with  special 
reference  to  an  occurrence  at  Rome,  so  that  nothing  can  be  confidently  in- 
ferred from  its  omission  of  the  view. 

^  See  Judaism,  Ch.  XI.  notes  57,  58,  60. 

®  "  The  Jews  therefore  who  constantly  maintain  that  the  Father  of 
ALL  T1IING.S  spoke  to  Moses,  when  the  speaker  was  in  reality  the  Son  of 
God,  who  is  called  his  an<;el  and  ai'Dsfle,  are  justly  convicted  by  the 
prophetic  spirit  and  by  Christ  himself,  of  knowing  neither  the  Father 
nor  the  son.  For  those  who  say  that  the  son  is  the  Father  are  convicted 
of  not  understanding  the  Father  and  of  not  knowing  that  the  Father  of 
ALL  THINGS  has  a  son,  who  being  the  first-born  Logos  of  God,  {also  is  God) 
also  formerly  appeared  in  the  semblance  of  fire  and  in  the  image  of  what 
was  incorporeal,  to  Moses  and  to  the  other  prophets."  —  Apol.  1,(13  ;  0pp. 
1,  264  C  D.  If  the  words  in  a  parenthesis  be  from  Justin  the  word  "  and  " 
should  be  substituted  for  "  also  "  iumrediately  afterwards.  The  Greek  will 
bear  either  translation.  In  this  latter  case  Justin,  who  had  more  than 
once  quoted  the  words  spoken  to  Moses,  "  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham  and 
of  Isaac  and  of  Jacob  "  (Exod.  3,  (i),  may  have  deemed  it  necessary  to  ad- 
mit parenthetically  that  the  term  God,  equally  as  the  term  angel,  was 
applied  to  the  speaker  in  the  Old  Testament.  The  parenthesis,  however, 
may  be  a  later  insertion.  Our  means  of  determining  tlie  text  of  Justin 
are  very  scanty,  and  therefore  have  less  weight  in  deciding  the  question. 
Only  two  manuscripts  of  the  Apoloriy  (Smith,  Did.  of  Biocj.  art.  Justin) 
are  in  existence.  If  the  j)arenthi'sis  stood  in  a  difi'erent  connection  its 
genuineness  might  be  less  suspicious,  but  here  it  seems  to  contravene  the 
])oint  of  Justin's  argument,  which  consists  in  keeping  out  of  view  the 
term  God  while  laying  stress  on  the  term  angel. 


192  DATE   WHEN   JESUS   WAS   DEIFIED.  [note  M. 

Jesus  was  merely  a  pre-exist ent  angel.®  This  certainly  is  the 
view  to  which  he  gives  prominence.  Probably  in  his  first 
efforts  to  meet  objections  raised  against  the  Old  Testament, 
this  was  his  means  of  defence.  It  is  equally  plain  that  at  a 
Liter  date,  wlien  he  wrote  his  Dialogue,  he  substitutes  the  view 
that  Jesus,  though   called  an  angel,  was  a  subordinate  god.'" 

9  In  one  place  Justin  affirms  :  "We  are  followers  of  the  only  Goil, 
the  Unborn,  through  the  Son."  —  Apol.  1,  H  ;  Ojip.  1,  164  B.  By  the 
"  Unborn  God  "  Justin  always  means  the  Father.  He  never  applies  this 
term  to  Jesus.  The  passage  implies  that  Justin  at  this  date  recognized 
NO  god  save  the  Father. 

1°  "As  to  your  saying  that  this  Christ  pre-existed  before  the  ages  as  a 
God,  ...  it  appears  to  nie  not  only  pakadoxical  but  foolish."  — 
Tryphoin  Dial.  48  ;  0pp.  2,  154  B.  It  is  noteworthy  in  the  foregoing 
that  Justin  takes  this  method  of  introducing  what  he  had  not  previously 
affirmed.  Again,  his  opponent  is  made  to  .say  :  "  Answer  me  hrst  how 
j'ou  can  show  that  there  is  another  God  besides  the  Maker  of  all  things." 
—  Tryphoin  Dial.  M  ;  0pp.  2,  162  E.  "I  will  endeavor  to  persuade 
you  who  understand  the  Scrijitures,  that  there  is  and  is  said  to  be  an- 
other god  and  lord  beneath  the  Makei;  of  all  things,  one  who  is  also 
called  an  angel."  —  Dial,  rv;  ;  0pp.  2,  178  C.  "  If  I  could  not  show  you 
from  the  Scri[)tures  that  one  of  those  three  [Gen.  18,  j]  is  a  god  and  is 
called  an  angel,  ...  it  might  be  reasonable  for  you  to  think  him,  as 
your  whole  nation  thinks,  the  God  who  existed  before  creation  of 
the  would."  —  Dial.  .51;  ;  0pp.  2,  180  D  E.  "  I  will  endeavor  to  per- 
suade you  that  this  being  who  is  said  to  have  appeared  to  Abraham,  to 
Jacob,  and  to  Moses,  antl  is  teimed  god,  is  a  different  one  from  the  God 

WHO  MADE  ALL  THINGS."  — Dial.  .=i(i ;    Op]l.  2,  182  E. 

"  Begin  and  explain  to  us  how  this  god,  who  appeared  to  Abraham, 
and  who  is  a  servant  to  God  the  Maker  of  all  things,  being  born  of 
a  virgin,  became,  as  vou  have  alleged,  a  human  being,  similar  in  suffer- 
ing to  others."  —  Trypho  in  Dial.  57  ;  0pp.  2,  190  E  A.  "  This  [being] 
called  a  god,  who  ai)ppared  to  the  patriarchs,  is  calleil  also  angel  and 
lord,  so  that  from  these  [ap})ellations]  you  may  recognize  him  as  servant 
to  the  Father  of  all  things."  —  Dial,  .'^is  ;  0pp.  2,  192  C  D.  "  It  is 
necessary  that  I  explain  to  you  the  w-ords  which  announce  how  there  ap- 
peared to  him  flying  from  his  brother  Esau  this  being  who  was  angel  and 
god  and  lord,  and  who  appeared  in  the  form  of  a  man  to  Abraham,  and 
in  the  form  of  a  mortal  wrestling  with  Jacob." — Dial.  hS  ;  0pp.  2, 
194  E.  "  Bear  with  me,  I  said,  while  I  show  you  from  the  book  of 
Exodus  how  this  same  [being]  angel  and  god  and  lord  and  man  and  mor- 
tal, who  appeared  to  Abraham  and  Jacob,  ajipeared  in  a  flame  of  fire 
from  a  busli  to,  or  associated  with,  ]\Ioses."  — Dial,  .vi  :  0pp.  2,  196  C  D. 
"If,  0  friends,  it  was  an  angel  and  god  at  the  same  time  who  appeared 
to  Moses,  as  has  been  shown  you  by  the  previously  written  words,  the 
god  who  spoke  to  Moses,  will  not  be  the  Maker  of  all  things  .  .  . 
but  [will  be]  he  who  was  shown  you  to  have  appeared  to  Abraham  and  to 
Jacob  :  a  servant  to  the  will  of  the  Maker  uf  all  things."  —  Dial,  m  ; 
0pp.  2, 198  A  B.  The  Scripture,  "by  saying  that  an  angel  of  the  Lord 
appeared  to  Moses,  and  afterwards  indicating  that  it  was  the  Lord  liim- 


NOTE   M.]  DATE   WHEN   JESUS   "WAS   DEIFIED.  103 

This  is  the  view  to  which  he  there  gives  prominence.  It 
seems  to  have  been  adopted  by  him  after  his  Apologij  was 
written,  though  at  what  date  we  can  only  conjecture,  and 
this  conjecture  will  doubtless  vary  according  to  the  date  as- 
signed to  the  Dialogue. 

The  Dialogue,  though  professedly  a  discussion  with  a  Jew, 
must  have  been  written  with  expectation  of  finding  its  read- 
ers chiefly  or  wholly  among  Gentiles. 

An  examination  of  writers  coeval  with,  or  slightly  later 
than  Justin  may,  by  showing  us  the  greater  or  less  foothold 
which  this  view  had  attained,  give  us  more  grounds  for  deter- 
mining its  date.  There  are  probably  eight  or  nine  such 
writers  who  have  left  us  one,  or  more  than  one,  work  each. 

We  will  first  consider  three  of  these  who  shared  more  or  less 
nearly  Justin's  view  of  a  subordinate  deity.  Each  (  cp.  p.  75) 
addressed  a  work  to  heathens,  or  to  a  heathen,  and  in  these 
works  neither  the  word  Jesus  nor  the  word  Christ  can  be 
found."  The  only  cause  for  this  omission  which  would  not  be 
equally  applicable  to  preceding  and  subsequent  writers '-  is  as 
follows.  The  reign  of  Marcus  Antoninus  was  very  reactionary. 
Judaism,  since  the  war  under  Hadrian,  had  almost  lost  its  in- 
fluence in  Europe,  and  heathens  who  felt  that  they  were  now 
dealing  chiefly  with  Christianity  laid  great  stress  on  the  argu- 

.self  who  was  also  a  god,  points  out  the  same  [being]  whom  it  indicates  by 
many  other  statements  as  a  seuvant  to  the  God  ovek  the  world."  — 
Dial.  CO  ;  0pp.  2,  200  A.  "  I  will  give  you  another  testimony  .  .  .  fiom 
tlie  Scriptures  that  originally,  prior  to  all  his  creations,  God  produced 
from  himself  a  certain  reasoning  power  which  is  called  by  the  holy 
spirit  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  but  sometimes  son,  sometimes  wisdom, 
sometimes  god,' sometimes  lord  and  logos,  and  sometimes  he  calls  him- 
self chief  commander,  when  appearing  in  form  of  a  mortal  to  Joshua, 
son  of  Nun.  For  he  has  all  these  appellations  because  of  serving 
liis  Father's  will  and  being  born  by  the  will  of  the  Father."  — 
Dial,  (ii  ;  0pp.  2,  200  A -202  B.  See  also  cc.  cs,  7.',  m',  s7,  IKl,  ll'-,  VH\ 
[bis],  Vll,  l>  [bis],  \i:) ;  0pp.  2,  \m^.  332  C,  246  D,  294  A  B,  298  C,  376 
D,  384  B,  420  D,  422  C,  424  C  D,  426  A  B  C,  428  E.  It  is  possible 
that  Justin  had  found  dilhculty  in  maintaining  the  position  taken  in 
liis  Jpolociy,  that  the  Being  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament  was  sim- 
])ly  an  angel.  He  needed  to  account  for  the  ajiplication  to  that  being  of 
the  term  God,  and  took  this  method  of  doing  it.     Compare  note  32. 

"  Athenagoras,  besides  his  Apohxiy  addressed  to  the  lieathen  em- 
perors, wrote  a  Avork  on  the  resurrection.  The  above  remark  is  not  ap- 
plicable to  this  latter  work. 

1^  Inability  to  quote  the  Gospels  against  heathens  a.s  a  trustworthy 
record  of  their  Master's  life,  would  not  at  this  date  have  been  more  of  an 
impediment  than  it  was  previously  and  subseiiuently. 


194  DATE   WHEN   JESUS   WAS   DEIFIED.  [note  M. 

ment  from  antiquity.  The  emperor  lent  his  aid  to  foster  the 
veneration  for  what  was  ancient.  It  was  through  observance 
of  Ancient  Customs,  he  said,  that  Rome  would  be  perpetu- 
ated ;  '^  atrocious  barbarity,  misnamed  Ancient  Discipline  for 
the  legions,  received  his  commendation.'* 

Christians  in  meeting  this  tendency  were  tempted  to  ignore 
the  Master  who  had  lived,  taught,  and  died  in  the  days  of 
Tibei-ius.  Such  a  teacher  would  have  been  less  ancient  than 
most  heathen  ones.  Some  preferred  to  concentrate  attention 
on  the  idea  developed  in  controversy  with  the  Gnostics,  that 
their  leader  was  an  angel  or  subordinate  god.  In  their  state- 
ments of  this  it  is  noteworthy  that  although  one  of  their  num- 
ber, Theophilus,  quotes  from  the  Old  Testament  passages  in 
which  the  term  God  is  plainly  applied  to  the  being  whom 
they  ALLEGE  as  subordinate,  yet  they  in  their  own  persons  al- 
most never  apply  that  term  to  him.'*' 

Another  yet  more  noteworthy  circumstance  is  that  while 
treating  creation  as  almost  exclusively  the  work  of  this  subor- 
dinate being  they  never  apply  to  him  the  term  Creator,  but 
restrict  it  exclusively  to  the  Supreme  Being  under  whom  he 
acted. 

We  will  now  attend  to  the  views  of  these  writers  on  the  sub- 
ject in  question.  Theophilus  addressed  a  work  to  his  heathen 
friend  Autolycus.  He  instructs  him  that  the  Supreme  Being 
dwelt  from  eternity,  having  inside  of  him  his  I'easou  or  ci*ea- 
tive  power;  that  before  creating  the  world  he,  without  divest- 

*s  See  Judaism,  p.  36  n. 

**  See  Judaism,  p.  361  n. 

15  Theophilus  once  speaks  (2,22;  0pp.  p.  120  C)  of  the  Logos  as 
"being  Goil."  Athenagoras  applies  to  the  Son  (Si 'pp/icat.  Ki  ;  0pp. 
p.  48  A)  the  term  God.  The  word  "God,"  if  dropjied  out,  would  cause 
no  break  in  the  connection,  and  therefore  its  interpolation  after  the  doc- 
trine Ijecanie  more  thoroughly  established  is  [wssilile,  though  scarcely,  I 
think,  ])robable. 

Tatian  speaks  (Orat.  13;  0pp.  p.  62,  a!.  153  A)  of  "  the  [suffering] 
Deity."  If  the  word  "suffering"  be  s)>urious,  Tatian  was  speaking  of 
the  Supreme  Being.  If  it  be  genuine,  he  spoke  of  the  subordinate  deity. 
There  is  no  difficulty  in  regarding  him  as  having  held  the  belief  ex- 
pressed in  the  passage.  There  is,  however,  great  diilirulty  in  supposing 
that  he,  or  any  fellow  Christians  of  his  era  who  held  it,  would  have 
CALLED  ATTENTION  of  heathens  to  the  fact  that  one  whom  they  regarded 
as  a  deity  had  been  put  to  death  by  Roman  soldieis.  I  mistrust  that, 
after  Tatian  became  a  Gnostic,  some  member  of  the  Orthodox  party  may, 
as  a  criticism  on  his  change  of  views,  have  added  the  word  "sutlering," 
and  that  in  course  of  time  it  crept  into  the  text. 


NOTE  M.]  DATE   WHEN   JESUS    WAS   DEIFIED.  195 

iug  himself  of  reason,  emitted  his  reason,'®  constituting  it  a 
distinct  being.  Through  this  "  subordinate  workman "  he 
created  all  things  save  man.  When  man  was  to  be  created 
he  said,  "  Let  us  make  man."  " 

Tatian,  the  disciple  of  Justin  ]\Iartyr,  became  eventually  a 
Gnostic.  Before  becoming  so  he  wrote  his  Address  to  Greeks. 
In  it  he  maintains  the  unity  of  the  Supreme  Being  '^  and  rep- 
resents the  Logos  as  having  received  a  separate  existence  be- 
fore the  creation,  the  work  of  which  devolved  on  him.'^ 

1®  The  term  Logos  was  used  sometimes  as  identical  with  reason,  some- 
times with  utterance,  sometimes  with  fiat  or  executive  energy.  Compare 
Judaism,  p.  358. 

1^  "God,  having  his  reason  dwelling  within  him,  gave  it  existence 
eliminating  it  with  his  own  wisdom  before  [creation  of  ]  all  things.  He 
had  this  reason  [or  Logos]  as  a  suboudinate  workman  of  the  things 
produced  by  him,  and  he  made  all  things  through  him." —  Theophilus, 
ad  Aulol.  2,  10 ;  0pp.  pp.  78-80  B  C. 

"  God,  by  saying  [Gen.  1,  2(;]  '  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image  and 
similitude,'  indicates  lirst  the  dignity  of  man  ;  for  God  having  made  all 
[other]  things  by  his  Logos  and  having  esteemed  all  [other]  things  a  side 
matter,  deems  only  what  was  immortal  [namely]  the  making  of  man  a 
work  worthy  of  [his  own]  hands." — Ad  Auto/.  2,  18;  0pp.  108  C  D. 
Compare  Sibyl.  Orac.  8,  265,  cited  on  p.  177.  Theophilus  had  previously 
explained  (1,  4)  that  the  universe  was  made  on  man's  account. 

"  For  before  anything  came  into  existence  [God]  had  this  [Logos]  as  a 
counsellor,  it  being  ms  own  mind  and  THOUGnrFULNEss.  But,  when 
God  wished  to  make  what  he  had  resolved,  he  brought  into  existence 
outside  of  himself  this  Logos,  the  first-born  of  the  whole  creation,  he 
himself  not  being  [thereby]  emptied  of  reason."  —  Ad  Autol.  2,  li  ; 
0pp.  118  B. 

'^  "Our  God  did  not  originate  in  time,  being  alone  without  beginning, 
and  he  himself  being  the  beginning  of  all  things." —  Oi-at.  ad  Groicos,  4; 
0pp.  p.  18  C. 

"  The  Master  of  all  things  being  himself  the  substance  of  the  universe 
was,  before  the  creation,  alone.  .  .  .  With  him  existed  thiough  his  rea- 
soning power  the  Reason  [or  Logos]  which  was  in  him.  By  the  will  of 
his  simple  (or  uncompounded)  nature,  the  Logos  sprung  forth.  But  the 
Logos  (or  utterance  of  God),  not  going  forth  void  (com))are  Is.  55,  ll), 
becomes  the  first-born  of  the  Father.  This  Logos  we  know  as  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world."  —  Orat.  .'>  ;  0pp.  22  A  -  24  B.  Tatian  tries,  not  very 
intelligibly,  to  explain  the  process  by  which  the  Logos  was  separated 
from  the  Father. 

^^  "  The  Logos  proceeding  from  the  [leasoning]  ]iower  of  the  Father 
did  not  render  the  Being  who  begot  him  void  of  reason,  even  as  I  speak 
and  you  hear,  but  I  who  address  you  do  not,  by  the  transmission  of 
my  utterance  (Logos),  become  void  of  (Logos)  speech.  ,  .  .  The  Logos, 
being  begotten  in  the  beginning,  begot  in  turn  our  world."  —  Orat.  .") ; 
0pp.  p.  26  B  C.  "The  heavenly  Logos,  a  spirit  produced  from  the 
Father,  and  the  (Logos)  utterance  of  his  rational  power,  in  imitation  of 
the  Father  who  begot  him,  made  man  an  image  of  immortality."  — 
Orat.  7 ;  Op}),  p.  30  B  C. 


196  DATE  WHEN   JESUS   WAS   DEIFIED.  [NOTE   M. 

Athenagoras  is  very  emphatic  in  affirming  but  one  Supreme 
Being,'-"  and  in  alleging  the  impossibility  of  two  or  more  un- 
originated  Gods,^'  yet  he  treats  the  Son  as  identical  with  the 
Logos,  and  as  the  instrument  of  creation.^'^ 

The  author  of  the  Clementines,  who  belongs  to  the  time  of 
Marcus  Antoninus,  condemns  explicitly  the  deification  of  Jesus, ^' 

23  "God,  the  Maker  of  the  world,  was  from  tlie  beginning  One  and 
Alone."  —  Supplical.  (or  Legal.)  s  ;  Opp.  \>.  42  C,  edit.  Otto.  Compare  4, 
Ojip.  20  B.  "God  is  iinoriginated,  incapable  of  suffering  and  invisible, 
and  thei'efore  not  compounded  of  parts."  —  SuppHcat.  8;  02>p-  p.  38  D. 

21  "  See  as  follows,  that  God,  the  Creator  of  this  universe,  was  from 
the  beginning  [hut]  One,  so  that  you  may  have  the  argument  for  our  faith. 
If  from  tlie  beginning  there  were  two  or  more  Gods,  either  they  were  in 
one  and  tlie  same  place  or  each  in  his  own  place.  In  one  and  the  .same 
place  they  could  not  be,  not  even  if  the  Gods  were  similar,  but  because 
[also]  unoriginated  beings  aie  not  similar.  Oiiginated  things  [may  be] 
similar  to  the  pattern  [after  which  they  arc  made],  but  the  unoriginated 
are  dissimilar,  being  neither  [produced  from]  any  one  nor  after  [the  pat- 
tern of]  anyone." — tSujipJicat.  s  ;  02>p.  pp.  36-38  B  C.  "But  the 
Maker  of  the  world  is  above  cieatcd  things,  supervising  the  world  liy  his 
foresight  for  these  [created  things].  "What  ]ilace  will  there  be  for  the 
other  god  or  the  remaining  ones  {  not  in  the  world,  for  it  belongs  to  an- 
other ;  nor  beyond  the  world,  since  above  it  is  God  the  ilaker  of  the 
world."  —  Svpplicat.  >' ;  0pp.  ])p.  38-  40  D  A. 

^  "  It  has  been  sufficiently  shown  by  me  that  we  are  not  atheists,  be- 
lieving as  we  do  in  one  God,  unboin,  eternal,  invisible,  incaimlilc  of  suf- 
fering, incomprehcnsililc,  not  to  be  contained  [liy  any  locality],  appre- 
hended by  tlie  mind  only  and  the  reason,  surrounded  by  light  and  splen- 
dor and  spirit  and  power  beyond  nariation,  by  wliom  the  universe  was 
produced  through  his  Logos  and  [>)y  whom]  it  has  been  adorned  and  is 
preserved. 

"We  understand  also  [that  there  i-s]  a  Son  of  God,  and  let  no  one  deem 
it  ridiculous  in  me  [to  say]  that  God  has  a  son.  For  we  do  not  think 
concerning  God  the  Father,  or  concerning  his  son,  after  the  fashion  of 
your  poets'  fables,  who  represent  the  gods  as  in  no  wise  better  than  men. 
But  the  Son  of  God  is  the  utterance  (Logos)  of  the  Father  as  regards  his 
thought  and  energy.  For  according  to  him  and  througli  liim  all  things 
were  brought  into  being,  the  Fatlier  and  the  Son  being  [in  tlieirpur])oses] 
one  ;  the  Son  being  in  the  Fatlier  and  the  Father  in  the  Son,  tlirough 
the  oni'ness  and  efficacy  of  [their]  s])irit.  The  Son  of  God  [being]  the  in- 
telligence and  the  utterance  (Logos)  of  the  Father." — Si(2)})licat.  10; 
0pp.  pp.44  B-46  C. 

2*  "Our  Lord  .  .  .  did  not  proclaim  himself  God.  He  justly  blessed 
him  who  called  him  Son  of  tiiat  God  who  perfected  the  beauty  of  the 
universe.  .  .  .  The  Father  is  unborn  ;  tlie  Son  is  born.  The  born  can- 
not compare  witli  the  unborn  or  self-born."  —  Homily,  16,  15,  10.  "  De- 
nial of  liim  (the  One  God)  is  for  a  professed  Mouotlieist  to  allege  until 
death  another  God,  whetlicr  [ns  the  Gnostics  ?]  a  greater,  or  [as  those  who 
deify  Jesus  ?]  a  less."  —  Homily,  3,  7.  Tiie  writer  adds  (see  Judaism, 
p.  359)  that  eternal  punishment  awaited  any  one  who  should  do  this. 


NOTE   M.]  DATE   WHEN   JESUS   WAS   DEIFIED.  197 

which  he  regards  as  introduced  by  converts  from  heathenism 
who  yet  clung  to  a  multiplicity  of  gods.^* 

Hermias  wrote  a  very  short  work -^  pointing  out  the  incon- 
sistencies of  heathen  teachers.  It  contains  no  allusion  to  the 
deification  of  Jesus,  but  its  omission  of  this  and  other  subjects 
hardly  furnishes  any  ground  for  determining  the  author's 
views  concerning  them. 

The  De  Monarchia  has  for  a  title  the  watchword  of  those 
Christians  wlio  uttei'ly  rejected  the  deification  of  Jesus.  It 
seems  impossible  that  its  writer  can  have  been  a  believer  in 
that  doctrine. 

The  Oratio  ad  GrSBCOS  is  a  simple  and  brief  statement  ^^  by 
some  convert  from  heathenism  of  the  reasons  for  his  change. 
These  reasons  are  moral  ones,  a  contrast  being  drawn  between 
the  views  and  conduct  of  heathens  and  of  Christians.  The 
tone  of  his  argument  renders  it  at  least  improbable  that  he 
sided  with  those  who  sought  to  win  respect  for  Jesus  by  rep- 
resenting him  as  a  pre-existent  God."' 

The  Cohortatio  ad  Graecos  is  a  much  longer  work  -*  than 
either  of  the  preceding.  Had  the  writer  regarded  Jesus  as  a 
pre-existent  deity  the  view  could  not  have  escaped  mention 
in  his  systematic  and  elaborate  statement  of  the  differences  in 
date  and  character  between  heathen  and  Christian  views  as  to 
the  Being  or  Beings  whom  they  recognized  as  God.  It  may 
be  assumed  with  certainty  from  his  direct  statement  ^  and 

2*  See  quotations  in  Judaism,  Ch.  XI.  note  60. 

25  The  work  with  its  Latin  translation  covers  five  folio  pages  in  Maran's 
edition  of  Justin. 

^  The  work  covers  pages  2-13  in  Otto's  (8vo)  edition  of  Justin,  each 
alternate  page  being  occupied  with  a  Latin  translation  and  part  of  every 
page  with  notes. 

'^  In  ch.  5  (p.  11  C)  Otto  has  retained  a  translation  of  Logos  which 
seems  tome  the  true  one  as  meaning  the  divine  teacliings.  A  little  fur- 
ther on  the  writer  speaks  of  the  divine  teacliing  (Logos)  as  our  supporter, 
but  in  this  case  Otto,  following  earlier  editors,  lias  retained  iu  liis  trans- 
lation the  word  Logos,  understanding  b)'  it  api)arently  a  being.  The 
connection  is,  I  think,  against  such  interpretation. 

*>  It  and  its  translation  cover  pages  12-111  in  Otto's  (8vo)  edition  of 
Justin. 

^*  "  No  one  existed  earlier  than  God  who  could  give  Him  a  name, 
nor  did  He  think  it  necessary  to  affix  a  name  to  liimself,  ])eing  one  and 
alone,  as  He  testifies  througli  liis  own  prophets,  saying  :  '  I  was  (!oil  orig- 
inally, and  afterwards,  and  beside  me  there  is  no  otlier.'" —  Cohortatio 
ad  Graecos,  -n  ;  Justin,  02)p.  1,  62  C.  The  quotation  is  from  Isaiaii 
44,  u. 


198  DATE   WHEN   JESUS  WAS   DEIFIED.  [XOTE   M. 

from  the  whole  of  his  argument,  that  he  did  not  regard  Jesus 
as  a  god  either  subordinate  or  in  any  way  whatever. 

The  Epistle  to  Diognetus  has  been  deferred  to  the  last  as 
being  the  latest  of  the  worlvs  here  quoted,  and  as  belonging  in 
all  probability  to  a  subsequent  century.  The  writer  is  ob- 
viously a  person  of  literary  culture,  who  penned  his  work  at  a 
time  when,  or  else  in  a  locality  where,  he  did  not  feel  himself 
personally  in  danger.  He  writes  with  a  self-confidence  which 
states,  rather  than  argues,  and  assumes  that  his  reader  Diog- 
netus, who  seems  to  have  been  an  inquirer  concerning  mono- 
theism, would  scarcely  need  argument  in  order  to  share  his 
conclusions.  The  document  is  marked  by  none  of  the  almost 
tediously  diffuse  statement  and  argument  which  we  find  in 
Justin.  Its  writer  seems  rather  to  multipl}'  short  affirmations, 
as  if  thereby  to  emphasize  his  views,  or  to  overpower  his 
reader.  This  is  less  striking  in  his  portraiture  of  the  Su- 
preme Being  ^^  than  in  his  account  of  the  Christians,^'  and  of 
the  embassy  sent  to  man.^^ 

35  "For  God  the  Master  and  Artificer  of  the  universe,  who  made  all 
things  and  arranged  them  in  order,  not  only  was  a  friend  of  man  bnt 
very  patient.  Tliis  indeed  he  always  is  and  will  be,  excellent  and  good 
and  without  anger  and  truthful  ;  and  He  onl}-  is  good.  Meditating  a 
great  and  unuttered  conception  which  he  communicated  to  his  only 
Son,  so  long  as  he  continued  to  keep  secret  his  wise  counsel  he  seemed  to 
disregard  and  neglect  us,  but  when  he  revealed  and  made  manifest 
through  his  beloved  Son  the  things  prepared  from  the  beginning,  he 
enabled  us  at  [one  and]  the  same  time  to  partake  of  his  benefits  and  to 
see  [ills  principle  of  action]." — Epistle  to  Diognetus,  s;  Justin, 
0pp.  2,  490  C  D. 

^^  Epistle  to  Diognetus,  cc.  4-(i;  Justin,  Opp.  2,476-482. 

32  "  God  who  is  truly  the  All-ruler,  the  All-cieator  and  Invisible,  him- 
self placed  the  Truth  from  heaven  and  his  holy  and  uncomj>rehended 
Logos  in  men  and  establislied  it  in  their  hearts,  not  as  any  one  might 
think  probable,  by  sending  to  men  some  servant  or  angel,  or  any  ruler  of 
those  who  supervise  earthly  affairs,  or  one  of  those  entrusted  with  the 
arrangement  of  things  in  heaven,  but  the  artificer  and  artisan  of  the  uni- 
verse, TiniouoH  WHOM  He  created  the  heavens,  by  whom  he  lestricted 
the  sea  to  its  own  bounds,  whose  secret  [orders]  all  constituents  [of  the 
universe]  faithfully  obey,  from  whom  they  have  received  [iiijunctiousl  to 
guard  the  measure  of  each  day's  course,  whom  the  moon  obeys  when  he 
connnands  her  to  appear  by  night,  whom  the  stars  obey,  following  the 
course  of  the  moon,  by  whom  All  things  are  arranged  and  limited,  and 
to  whom  they  are  subordinated  :  the  heavens  and  the  tilings  in  the 
heavens  ;  the  eartli  and  the  things  in  the  earth  ;  the  sea  and  the  things  in 
tiie  sea  ;  the  fire,  the  air,  the  abyss,  the  things  on  high,  those  in  the 
depths  and  the  things  between.  This  being  He  sent  to  them.  Did  he 
send  him,  as  some  man  might  think,  to  tyrannize,  to  cause  fear  and  to  ter- 


NOTE  M.]  DATE   WHEN   JESUS   WAS   DEIFIED.  199 

Possibly  the  self-confidence  of  the  writer  may  be  due  to 
personal  peculiarities  or  to  the  locality  where  he  lived,  but  it 
is  more  probable  that  he  lived  in  the  third  century,  and  that 
when  he  wrote,  Christians,  instead  of  struggling  for  existence, 
found  themselves  able  to  assume  a  loftier  tone.  An  addi- 
tional reason  for  this  view  is  placed  in  the  note.^^  I  suppose 
him  to  have  written  in  the  third  century. 

A  summary  of  the  case  stands  as  follows.  The  writings  of 
Justin  Martyr  render  probable  that  in  his  mind  the  belief 
took  root  after  publication  of  his  first  Apologij  and  before 
writing  the  Dialogue,  that  is,  after  a.  d.  150,  a  view  corrobo- 
rated by  his  evident  mistrust  of  his  own  arguments  in  the 
latter  work.^* 

The  other  writings  which  we  have  examined  do  not  militate 
against,  but  rather  favor,  the  same  conclusion.  Four  of  them 
ignore  the  doctrine  :  one  writer  condemns  it.  Three  who  teach 
it  do  not  agree  in  their  expositions  of  it,  while  their  disuse  of 
the  words  Jesus  and  Christ  indicates  that  they  wrote  under 
some  then  existing  bias.  Had  the  doctrine  originated  earlier 
than  the  assigned  date  it  would  have  been  less  ignored,  and 
there  would  have  been  more  unanimity  among  its  supporters.^ 

rify  ?  By  no  means,  but  in  mildness  and  gentleness.  As  a  king  sending 
a  royal  son  He  sent  him  ;  He  sent  liun  as  a  god  ;  He  sent  liini  as  to 
men  ;  as  purposing  to  save  He  sent  liini  ;  as  desiring  to  persuade,  not  to 
compel,  for  there  is  no  viok^nce  with  God.  He  sent  as  if  inviting,  not 
prosecuting.  He  sent  as  one  who  loves,  not  who  judges.  .  .  .  For  who 
among  men,  before  his  eoniing,  understood  what  God  is  !  "  —  Epistle  to 
Dioguetus,  7,  >s  ;  Justin,  0pp.  2,  484-488. 

•^•^  In  the  third  century  the  word  Economy  oiKovo/xia  was  used  by  be- 
lievers in  the  deity  of  Christ,  or  by  some  of  them  to  designate  what 
might  be  termed  a  household  ari'angement,  by  which  the  Deity  had  dele- 
gated, for  a  time  at  least,  certain  of  his  formei"  cares  and  duties  to  the 
Son.  The  word,  though  frequently  occurring  in  wiiters  of  the  second 
century  (Justin  Martvr,  Duil.  j;.,  (iT,  ^7,  Id.",  107,  vn<,  141  ;  0pp.  pp.  144 
A,  224  E,  300  A,  346'A,  360  E,  398  B,  460  A  ;  Theophilus,  ad  Autol. 
2,  !->,  1.-,  '.>;)  ;  0pp.  pp.  88  B,  102  A,  138  B  ;  Tatian,  Oral,  r, ;  0pp.  ji.  24 
B  ;  Athenagoras,  Sup]ilkat.  21  ;  02)p.  p.  102  D)  bears  in  no  case,  1  think, 
this  meaning.  The  Ejnstle  to  Diognetus  (n  ;  Just.  0pp.  ]>.  495  D),  how- 
ever, uses  the  adverb"  economically"  in  a  seemingly  similar  sense.  C'om- 
paie  in  the  same  work  (7 ;  Just.  0pp.  p.  484  B)  the  ai>parently  vague  use 

of  ECONO.MY. 

3*  Justin  in  his  deification  of  Jesus  evidently  felt  that  he  was  not 
treading  on  sure  ground.     See  note  2. 

**  Among  those  acquainted  with  common  interpretations  of  the  intio- 
duction  to  .John's  Gos])el,  especially  if  they  have  access  only  to  the  com- 
mon English  version  of  it,  the  question  may  arise  whether  John  held  anj' 


200  DATE  WHEN  JESUS  WAS   DEIFIED.  [note   M. 

One  or  two  additional  considerations,  though  not  bearing 
on  the  date  when  Jesus  was  deified,  may  not  be  without  inter- 
est. Justin  repeatedly  (see  p.  52,  note  7),  and  oftener  than 
other  writers,  designates  the  Father  as  the  Master-God.  He 
also  applies  to  Jesus  the  term  servant.  He  lived  in  a  city 
the  headquarters  of  slaveholdiug,  and  expected  to  be  read  by 
its  inhabitants.  How  far  this  influenced  his  interpretation  of 
the  Old  Testament  may  be  a  question.  In  such  a  community 
menial  offices  were  thought  very  derogatory  to  the  deity. 
Tertullian  says  concerning  God  shutting  the  door  of  the  Ark 
after  Noah,  which  he  includes,  however,  with  certain  other 
non-menial  acts  :  "  These  things  would  not  be  credible  con- 
cerning the  Son  of  God  unless  written ;  perhaps  they  would 
not  be  credible  concerning  the  Father,  even  if  they  were 
written."  ^^ 

It  will  further  be  noticed  that  the  extracts  treat  merely  of 
TWO  gods.  Deification  of  the  Spirit  as  a  distinct  and  third 
person  took  place  in  the  third  century,  being  taught  in  that 
century  by  two  writers  only.  One  of  these,  as  elsewhere  re- 
marked (see  Judaism,  p.  357),  treats  the  majority  of  Chris- 
tians who  had  been  horrified  at  the  introduction  of  a  second 
god,  as  exclaiming.  You  are  already  introducing  a  third  one  ! 


view  analogous  to  that  of  Justin  and  other  writers.  The  tenor  of  John's 
writings  is  against  such  interpretation  of  liis  words.  To  the  common 
English  reader  liis  meaning  will  be  plainer  by  substituting  for  Logos  the 
word  Providence,  the  only  English  teim  analogous  in  trijile  meaning  to 
the  Greek  one.  It  denotes  God,  his  agency,  and  some  of  his  attiibiites, 
but  prominently  supervision,  rather  than,  as  Logos,  reason,  fiat  (Ps. 
33,  6), creative  energy,  or  planning.  Compare  on  this  subject  Judaism, 
p.  358,  note  59.  Verse  3  admits  two  translations,  which,  for  the  reader's 
convenience,  are  put  into  parallel  columns. 

"In  the  beginning  Providence  existed  and  Piovidence  was  with  God 
and  Providence  [compare  on  p.  195,  Theopliilus,  ad  Autol.  2,  22]  was 
God  [himself].     It  was  in  the  beginning  witli  God. 

Througli  it  all    things   came    into     Tlirongh   it    all    things    came    to 
being,    and    without    it    not    one     pass,  and  without  it  not  one  occur- 
created  thing  came  into  existence.        rence  took  place. 
And    Providence  (God's    interposition)  took  a  liumnn  form  and   dwelt 
among  us,  .  .   .  full  of  favor  and  of  truth."  —  John  1,  i  -14. 

The  use  of  "  he  "  and  "  him  "  in  the  Greek  (bpeiids  on  the  termina- 
tion of  the  word  referred  to,  and  would  be  equally  necessary  in  referring 
to  the  word  o?/cos,  house,  as  in  referring  to  an  intelligent  being. 

If  irdvTa  in  verse  3  were  j)receded  by  the  article  rd,  there  would  be  more 
proba1)ility  that  John  spoke  of  creation.  As  the  text  stands  there  is 
equal  or  greater  probal)ility  that  he  was  not  thiid<ing  of  it.  Compare  in 
Lactantius,  7,  18,  the  use  of  yeyon^voi^  as  quoted  from  Hermes. 

36  Tertullian,  adv.  Prax.  16,  p.  649  A,  edit.  Rigault. 


NOTE   N.]      FIRST   TWO   CHAPTERS   OF   MATTHEW.  201 

The  fabrication  which  the  Christians  circulated  and  quoted 
as  a  work  of  Hermes,  indicates  the  views  which  many  of  them 
wislied  to  spread.  Lactantius  says  :  "  Hermes,  in  that  book 
which  is  inscribed  The  Periect  (or  Final)  Discourse,  uses  these 
words  :  '  The  Lord  and  Maker  of  all  things,  whom  we  are 
accustomed  to  call  God,  when  He  made  a  second  god  ;  .  .  . 
when  He  made  this  one,  first  and  only,  and  sole,  [and  when] 
he  [the  created  being]  appeared  to  him  excellent  and  most 
filled  with  all  good  thmgs,  He  consecrated  him  and  loved  him 
exceedingly  as  his  peculiar  child.'  "  ^'^ 


NOTE  N. 

FIRST  TWO  CHAPTERS  OF  MATTHEW. 

Some  Hebrew  manuscripts  of  Matthew  omitted  the  first  two 
chapters.  The  narrative  which  they  contain,  moreover,  is  not 
easy  to  reconcile  with  that  in  the  first  two  chapters  of  Luke,^ 
and  the  name  Jesus  Christ  without  the  article  intervening  (on 
which  compai'e  pp.  60,  61)  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  undoubted 
portions  of  Matthews  This  raises  the  question  whether  they 
were  prefixed  to  Matthew's  Gospel  by  himself  or  by  another. 
The  question  has  been  argued  by  more  than  one  writer.^  The 
chief  object  of  the  present  Note  is  to  bring  out  by  its  typog- 
raphy what  these  chapters  profess  to  be.  The  typography 
commonly  used  fails  to  give  it  due  prominence. 


^  Lactantius,  Div.  Inst.  4,  6. 

1  The  two  chapters  prefixed  to  Matthew  represent  that  when  Jesus 
was  born  wise  men  from  the  East  came  to  Jerusalem  (2,  1,  2) ;  that 
they  communicated  with  Herod  before  they  had  seen  the  child,  and 
were  warned  liy  Ood  that  they  shouhl  not  communicate  with  him  again. 
Herod  sought  the  child's  destruction,  which  was  prevented  by  its  parents 
taking  it  to  Egypt,  wlicre  they  remained  until  Herod's  death,  after 
which  they  did  liot  go  (2,  22)  to  their  former  home,  but  turned  aside  into 
GaUlce,  and  dwelt  in  A  city  called  Nazarctli. 

According  to  Luke  Nazareth  was  tin;  liome  of  Joseph  and  Mary. 
They  were  merely  visiting  (Luke  2,  f,  r.)  in  Bethlehem.  After  the  child's 
birth  they  went  openly  into  the  temple  and  afterwards  returned  (2,  39) 
"  to  their  own  city  Nazareth." 

2  See  Norton's  Genuineness,  1,  App.  p.  liii ;  abridged  edit.  p.  43L 


202 


FIRST   TWO   CHAPTERS    OF   MATTHEW.        [notE  N. 


THE  BIRTH  OF  JESUS   CHRIST, 


SON  OF  DAVID,   SON  OF  ABKAHAM. 


Abraham  was  the  father  of  Isaac  ; 
and  Isaac  of  Jacob  ;  and  Jacob  of 
Judah  and  his  brothers  ;  and  Judah 
was  the  father  of  Pharez  and  Zarah, 
by  Tamar  ;  and  Pharez  was  the 
father  of  Hezron  ;  and  Hezron  of 
Aram  ;  and  Aram  of  Aniinadab  ; 
and  Aminadab  of  Nashon  ;  and 
Naslion  of  Salmon  ;  and  Sabnon 
Avas  the  father  of  Boaz,  by  Kahab  ; 
and  Boaz  was  the  father  of  Obed, 
by  Ruth  ;  and  Obed  was  the  father 
of  Jesse  ;  and  Jesse  of  David  the 
king. 

And  David  the  king  was  the 
father  of  Solomon,  by  the  wife  of 
Uriah  ;  and  Solomon  was  the  father 
of  Rehoboani  ;  and  Rehoboam  of 
Abiah ;  and  Abiah  of  Asa  ;  and 
Asa  of  Jehoshaphat  ;  and  Jehosha- 
phat  of  Jehoram  ;  and  Jehoram  of 
Uzziah  ;  and  Uzziah  of  Jotham  ; 
and  Jotham  of  Ahaz  ;  and  Ahaz  of 
Hezekiah  ;    and   Hezekiah  of  Ma- 


nasseh  ;  and  Manasseh  of  Amon  ; 
and  Amon  of  Josiah  ;  and  Josiah 
was  the  father  of  Jeconiah  and  his 
brothers,  at  the  time  of  the  removal 
to  Babylon. 

And  after  tlie  removal  to  Baby- 
lon, Jeconiah  was  the  father  of 
Salathiel  ;  and  Salatliiel  of  Zerub- 
babel  ;  and  Zerubbabel  of  Abiud  ; 
and  Abiudof  Eliakim  ;  and  Eliakim 
of  Azor  ;  and  Azor  of  Zadok  ;  and 
Zadok  of  Achim  ;  and  Achim  of 
Eliud  ;  and  Eliud  of  Eleazar  ;  and 
Eleazar  of  Matthan  ;  and  JIatthan 
of  Jacob  ;  and  Jacob  was  the  father 
of  Joseph,  the  husband  of  Mary,  of 
whom  was  born  Jesus,  who  is  called 
Christ. 

So  all  the  generations  from  Abra- 
ham to  David  were  fourteen  gener- 
ations ;  from  David  till  the  removal 
to  Babylon,  fourteen  generations  ; 
and  from  the  removal  to  Babylon 
until  Clirist,  fourteen  generations. 


Now  THE  BIRTH  OF  JESXTS  CHRIST  took  place  as  fol- 
lows :  While  his  mother  Mary  was  betrothed  to  Joseph,  before 
they  lived  together,  she  was  found  to  be  with  child  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Joseph,  her  husband,  being  a  just  man  and  not 
wishing  to  expose  her  to  shame,  purposed  to  put  her  away  pri- 
vately. While  he  was  considering  this,  lo  an  angel  of  the 
Lord  appeared  to  him  in  a  dream,  saying.  Do  not  fear  to  take 
Mary  as  thy  wife  [etc.,  to  the  close  of  Ch.  2]. 


NOTE  0.]  PUBLICATION   OF   MAKK'S   GOSPEL.  203 

NOTE   0. 

PUBLICATION  OF  MARK'S  GOSPEL. 

Christian  tradition  says  that  Mai-k  at  Rome  committed  to 
■writing  what  Peter  had  taught  concerning  the  history  of  Jesus, 
and  that  afterwards,  going  to  Alexandria,  he  published  his 
Gospel  in  that  city.^  Two  circumstances  harmonize  suffi- 
ciently with  this  statement  to  increase  somewhat  its  proba- 
bility. 

1.  The  Gospel  of  Mark  terminates,"  as  already  said,  rather 
abruptly  with  vei'se  8  of  chapter  16.  This  accords  at  least 
with  the  supposition  of  an  interruption  to  his  labors  by  the 
death  of  Peter  or  by  the  persecution  of  the  Christians. 

2.  Three  or  four  years  later,  when  Vespasian  was  at  Alex- 
andria, aiming  at  imperial  power,  some  of  his  adherents  who 
had  already  perhaps  tried  to  make  him  the  subject  of  proph- 

^  Irenaeus  says  :  "After  the  death  of  these  (Peter  and  Paul),  Mark, 
tlie  disciple  and  interpueter  of  Peter,  delivered  to  us  in  writing  the 
things  that  had  been  preached  by  Peter."  —  Cont.  Htercs.  3,  1,  l  ;  0pp. 
1,  423.  Papias  states  :  "The  elder  said  this  :  '  Mark  being  the  inter- 
preter of  Peter,  wrote  what  he  remembered.'  "  —  Papias  quoted  by 
Eusebius,  Ecc.  Hist.  3,  3;i.  Jerome  says  :  "  Mark  .  .  .  wrote  a  short 
Ciosi)el  according  to  what  he  hail  heard  related  by  Peter  .  .  .  taking  the 
Gospel  which  he  himself  had  composed,  he  went  to  Egypt,  and  at  Alex- 
andria founded  a  church  of  great  note."  —  De  Vir.  Illtust.  8;  Opj^.  2, 
841  -843,  edit.  Vallarsius  ;  Lardner's  trans. 

2  The  subsequent  verses,  !)-:(>  (quoted  in  Ch.  XI.  note  10),  "are  not 
found  in  the  Vatican  manuscript.  In  the  Codex  Stephani  rj  after  the 
eighth  verse,  it  is  said,  The  foUowhuj  also  is  extant,  which  words  precede 
a  short  conclusion  undoubtedly  spurious,  and  then  come  the  words,  This 
also  is  extant  ;  after  which  follow  the  twelve  verses  in  question.  In  more 
than  forty  other  manuscripts  they  are  accompanied  by  various  remarks, 
to  the  effect  '  that  they  were  wanting  in  some,  but  found  in  the  ancient 
coj)ies '  ;  'that  they  were  in  many  cojiies '  ;  'that  they  had  been  con- 
sidered spurious,  and  were  wanting  in  most  copies '  ;  '  that  they  were  not 
in  the  more  accurate  copies '  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  '  that  they  were 
generally  in  accurate  copies.'  [The  Sinaitic  MS.  discovered  by  Tischen- 
dorf  also  omits  the  passage] 

"In  the  other  manuscripts  of  the  Gospels  beside  those  mentioned,  the 
passage  in  ({ucstion  is  found  without  remark  ;  and  likewise  in  all  tlie  an- 
cient versions,  with  tlie  excejition  of  the  Armenian,  in  the  manuscripts 
of  which,  as  appears,  it  is  either  omitted  or  marked  as  of  doubtful  credit, 
and  likewise  of  the  copy  of  an  Arabic  version  preserved  in  the  Vatican 
Library. 

"The  nineteenth  verse  is  distinctly  quoted  by  IreniBus  as  from  the 
Gospel  of  Mark  ;  and  the  passage  in  question  api)ears  to  have  been  reoog- 


204  THE  BAPTISMAL  FORMULA.  [xoTE  P. 

ecy,'  undertook  yet  further  to  strengthen  confidence  in  him 
by  a  couple  of  fictitious  miracles,  burrowed  evidently  from 
our  "Gospel  narratives,  or  from  Christian  teaching  concerning 
Christ.  John's  Gospel  was  not  yet  written.  One  of  these 
miracles,*  that  of  restoring  sight  after  spitting  on  the  eyes,  is 
not  mentioned  in  Matthew  nor  in  Luke.  It  is  found  only  in 
Mark,  and  gives  plausibility  to  the  surmise  that  the  recent 
publication  of  Mark's  Gospel  may  have  caused  discussion  and 
suggested  to  Vespasian's  adherents  the  character  of  the  mira- 
cle which  they  attempted. 


NOTE   P. 

THE  BAPTISMAL  FORMULA. 

Any  baptisms  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament  were,  as 
already  stated/  into  the  name  of  Jesus.     In  the  second  cen- 

nized  as  genuine  by  some  other  fathers.*  But  no  part  of  it  is  quoted  by 
Origen.  According  to  Eusebius,  ahuost  all  the  copies  of  Mark's  Gospel, 
including  the  most  accurate,  ended  with  what  is  now  the  eighth  verse. 
Gregory  of  Nyssa  states,  that  the  passage  was  not  foiiud  in  the  more 
accurate  copies  ;  and  Jerome  says,  tliat  it  was  but  in  few,  being  wanting 
in  ahuost  all  the  Greek  manuscripts."  —  Norton,  Genuineness,  abridged 
edit.  pp.  444-445  ;  unabridged  edit.  Vol.  1.  App.  lxx-l.xxu. 

^  "  Through  the  whole  East  an  ancient  and  uninterrupted  opinion  had 
gained  thorough  cuiTency,  as  contained  in  the  fates,  that  at  that  time 
PERSON'S  from  Judea  should  obtain  rule.  That,  as  afterwards  appeai-eil 
from  the  event,  was  a  prediction  concerning  a  Roman  commander."  — 
Suetonius,  Vcspas.  4.  The  commander  referred  to  is  Vespasian.  The 
plural  form  "persons"  may  have  been  due  to  an  association  of  Titus  with 
Vespasian  as  nominally  joint  emperors. 

*  "  One  of  the  common  people  of  Alexandria,  known  to  have  a  disease 
in  his  eyes,  embraced  the  knees  of  the  emperor,  importuning  with  groans 
a  remedy  for  his  blindness.  .  .  .  Another  who  was  diseased  in  the  hand 
[compare  Mark  3,  l-.'5;  Matt.  12,  in-i:{;  Luke  6,  n-io]  .  .  .  entreated 
tliat  he  might  be  pressed  by  the  foot  and  sole  of  Cfesar.  Vespasian  at 
first  ridiculed  the  request.  .  .  .  Vespasian  executed  what  was  required 
of  him.  Immediately  the  hand  was  restored  to  its  functions  and  the 
light  of  day  shone  ag'ain  to  the  blind."  —  Tacitus,  Hist.  4,  si  ;  Bohn's 
trans.  According  to  Suetonius  (Vespers.  7)  Vespasian  anointed  the 
man's  evf.s  with  spittle.     Compare  Mark  8,  -23. 

1  See  Ch.  IV.  note  22. 


*  Not,  however,  by  Clement  of  Rome,  nor  .Justin,  who  are  cited  as  quoting 
it  in  the  editions  of  the  New  Testament  by  Griesbach  and  Scholz,  nor,  I  thhik, 
by  Clement  of  Alexandria,  who  is  also  adduced."  —  Ibid. 


NOTE   P.]  THE  BAPTISMAL   FOEMULA.  205 

tury  —  apparently  before  the  deification  of  Jesus  ^  and  a  full 
half-century  before  any  deification  of  the  Spirit  ^  —  we  find  a 
baptismal  formula  "  in  the  name  of  the  Father  of  the  luiiverse 
and  Master-God,  and  of  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the 
Holy  Spirit."  " 

The  change  of  formula  claims  attention  ;  and  this  is  equally 
the  case  whether  the  baptismal  precept  (quoted  on  p.  49)  be 
genuine  or  interpolated.  In  the  former  case  we  have  the  dif- 
ficult problem  of  explaining  non-attention  to  it  in  Apostolic 
times,  while  in  the  latter  we  need  to  explain  the  cause,  or 
causes,  which  pi-oduced  a  change.  Part  of  the  change  can  be 
explained  without  difliculty.  While  Christians  made  converts 
only  among  Jews  or  monotheists,  they  felt  no  need  of  baptiz- 
ing them  into  a  belief  in  God,  since  they  already  believed  in 
him.  When  Christianity  was  carried  among  heathens  its  con- 
verts were  asked  to  confess  belief  in  God  as  well  as  in  Jesus. 

Confession  of  belief  in  the  Spirit  admits  more  question  as  to 
its  origin.  The  most  probable  explanation,  though  not  Justin 
Martyr's,*  is  that  some  Christians  of  the  second  century  prided 
themselves  on  their  alleged  miraculous  powei's.  Jesus  had 
cautioned  his  Apostles  against  similar  pride,®  yet  in  the  spu- 

^  The  baptismal  formula  occurs  in  Justin's  first  Apology.  On  his  views 
concerning  Jesus  at  this  date,  see  in  preceding  note  pj).  191-193. 

8  No  writers  of  the  second  century,  and  only  two  of  the  third  century, 
namely,  Tertullian  and  Origen,  deify  the  Spirit  as  a  person.  Even  at  the 
close  of  the  third  century  such  deification  must  have  made  but  little  ]irog- 
ress.  The  document  attributed  to  Hermes  Trismegistus,  and  first  quoted 
by  Lactantius,  cannot  be  earlier  than  the  second  half  of  the  third  cen- 
tury. It  mentions  the  formation  of  a  second  God,  but  in  such  a  way  as 
to  exclude  a  third  one.  See  Lactantius,  Drv.  Inst.  4,  (i,  cited  at  close  of 
Note  M.     Also  Div.  Inst.  7,  l^,  cited  at  close  of  Note  K. 

In  the  second  century  the  author  of  the  Clementine  Homilies,  as  will  be 
seen  on  p.  196,  condemns  severely  those  who  deified  any  being  save  the 
Creator,  but  nlludes  to  none  who  introduced  more  than  one  such  additional. 

*  Justin  Martyr,  Apol.  1,  f;i  ;  Op2^.  1,  258  A,  edit.  Otto. 

6  Justin,  after  exi)laining  {Apol.  1,  O)  ;  0pp.  1,  258  -  260  D,  ed.  Otto) 
that  baptism  was  into  the  name  of  the  "  Father  of  tlie  universe  and  Mas- 
tei'-God,"  who  had,  and  needed,  no  name,  and  into  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  crucified  under  Pontius  Pilate,  adds  (c.  (il,  260  E)  :  "  into  the 
name  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  through  the  prophets  predicted  all 
THINGS  CONCERNINO  Jesus."  Belief  in  the  Spirit  seems  in  Justin's  mind 
to  have  meant  chiefly  a  belief  in  the  predictions  concerning  Jesus  which  he 
regarded  the  spirit  of  God  (the  prophetic  or  holy  spirit)  as  having  uttered 
in  the  Old  Testament.  In  regard  to  these  predictions,  and  to  piedictiou 
in  general,  see  pp.  17,  37,  38,  72,  and  com\)^TQ  Judaism,  pp.  345,  346. 

"^"Eejoice  not,  that  the  spirits  are  subject  unto  you;  but  rather  re- 
joice, because  your  names  are  written  in  heaven."  -  Luke  10,  •!(). 


206  THE   MISSION   OF  JESUS.  [note  Q. 

rious  addition  to  Mark's  Gospel  he  is  made  apparently  to  en- 
courage it.''  This  disposition  of  Christians  ®  renders  probable 
that  baptism  into  the  Spirit  meant  baptism  into  the  posses- 
sion of  miraculous  powers. 

If  we  assume  that  the  baptismal  precept  in  Matthew  (28, 
19)  is  genuine,  any  explanation  of  its  non-observance  in  Apos- 
tolic times  is  difficult  and  unsatisfactory. 


NOTE    Q. 

THE   MISSION   OF  JESUS. 


§  1.  Its  main  Object. 

In  the  Preface  Christianity  is  treated  as  a  revelation.  The 
writer  supposes  that  this  revelation  was  intended  to  give  man- 
kind a  deeper  assurance  as  to  the  existence  and  character  of 
God  and  as  to  his  relations  with  men,  thus  strengthening 
human  sense  of  responsibility,  encouraging  human  effort,  and 
imparting  to  human  existence  the  sunshine  of  hope  and  trust. 

He  is  not  unaware  that  large  bodies  of  Christians  hold  other 
views  as  to  the  chief  purpose  of  Jesus.  Those  who  attach 
high  importance  to  Church  authority  claim  that  his  main  ob- 
ject was  to  form  an  ecclesiastical  organization  with  delegated 
powers.^  In  Protestant  communities  several  active  denomina- 
tions hold  that  his  main  object  was  to  make  a  sacrifice.^ 

'  "  These  signs  shall  accompany  believers  :  In  my  name  shall  they  cast 
out  demons  ;  they  shall  speak  new  languages  ;  they  shall  take  up  ser- 
pents ;  and  if  they  drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them  ;  they 
shall  lay  hands  on  the  sick,  and  they  shall  recover."  —  Mark  16,  17,  If*. 
Compare  Acts  of  Pilate,  §  if),  text  of  Paris  A. 

8  Justin  tells  Trypho  :  "From  our  works  [of  practical-monotheism] 
and  from  the  Swcf^uewy,  miraculoits  power,  consequent  on  them,  all  can 
understand  that  this  [Jesus]  is  the  new  Law  and  the  new  Covenant."  — 
Just.  Mart.  Dial,  li  ;  0pp.  2,  42  E,  edit.  Otto.  Tertullian,  with  inju- 
dicious vehemence,  dares  the  heathens  to  test  the  divinity  of  their  gods. 
He  is  willing  to  stake  the  Christian  exorcist's  life  on  the  result  if  he  does 
not  compel  the  fancied  divinity  to  confess  itself  a  mere  demon.  See  Ter- 
tullian, A}}ol.  27,  in  Underworld  Mission,  p.  78  ;  3d  ed.  74,  75. 

^  This  view,  transmitted  from  the  Middle  Ages,  is  unlikely  to  hold  its 
own  in  communities  which  lay  stress  on  individual  religious  responsibil- 
ity. 

*  Prominent  teachers  of  this  theology  allege  that  its  chief  doctrine,  or 


§  2.]  SOME   IMPEDIMENTS   TO   IT.  207 

§  2.  Sorae  Impediments  to  it. 

At  and  before  the  Christian  era  many  Jews  expected  a  di- 
vine interposition  in  the  form  of  a  temporal  ruler  clothed  with 
miraculous  powers,  who  should  establish  order  upon  earth  and 
facilitate,  if  not  establish,  a  reign  of  holiness.^  Not  a  few 
Christians  i-etained  this  anticipation,  and  as  their  Master  had 

doctrines,  cannot  be  found  in  the  Gospels.  Archbishop  Whately 
says:  "The  Gospel  which  Jesus  himself  preached  was  not  the  same 
thing  with  the  Gospel  which  he  sent  forth  his  Apostles  to  preach  after 
his  resurrection.  .  .  .  How,  indeed,  could  our  Lord,  during  his  abode  on 
earth,  preach  fully  .  .  .  his  meritorious  sacrifice  as  an  atonement  for 
sin  ?  .  .  .  Our  Lord's  discourses,  therefore,  while  on  earth,  though  thej' 
teach,  of  course,  the  truth,  do  not  teach,  nor  could  have  been  meant  to 
teach,  the  whole  truth,  as  afterwards  revealed  to  his  disciples.  They 
could  not,  indeed,  even  consistently  with  truth,  have  contained  the  main 
part  of  what  the  Apostles  preached.    .  .  . 

"Our  chief  source,  therefore,  of  instruction,  as  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
Gospel,  must  be  in  the  apostolic  epistles."  — Difficulties  in  the  Writings 
of  St.  Paul,  pp.  65-67,  74. 

Macknight  saj's  :  "The  chief  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  more  ex- 
pressly asserted  and  more  fully  explained  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
than  in  any  other  of  the  inspired  writings."  —  The  Apostolic  Epistles, 
Vol.  5,  p.  1. 

Those  who  hold  the  foregoing  view  would  probably,  by  calling  them- 
selves "Epistolary"  instead  of  "Evangelical"  Christians,  convey  to 
others  a  more  correct  idea  of  the  ground  on  which  they  plant  them- 
selves. 

This  view  as  commonly  held  ignores  the  universe  save  the  sandspeck 
on  which  we  live.  Were  a  human  being  to  step  outside  of  the  solar 
system,  not  to  any  distant  part  of  the  universe,  but  to  the  nearest  fixed 
star,  he  could  not  with  the  best  of  human  telescopes  discern  the  earth. 
Yet  what  is  called  Evangelical  theology  teaches,  that  on  this  sandspeck, 
and  nowhere  else  in  the  universe,  the  Supreme  Being  found  a  need  of 
being  put  to  death,  or  for  having  a  constituent  part  of  himself  put  to 
death  — ■  whatever  either  expression  may  mean  —  before  he  could  forgive 
his  infant  children  who  dwell  there.  Among  the  myriad  millions  of  homes 
where  his  other  children  are  trained,  no  such  need  arose. 

8  "  .  .  .  Then  shall  the  mightiest  kingdom 
Of  the  Immortal  King  appear  among  men. 
And  a  Sacred  Prince  shall  come  to  hohl  the  sceptre  of  the  whole 

earth 
To  all  ages  of  the  time  which  approaches." 

Sibyl.  Orac.  3,  47-50. 

"Then  God  will  send  a  King  from  the  East, 
Who  shall  cause  the  whole  earth  to  cease  from  wicked  war. 
By  killing  some,  and  administering  binding  oaths  to  others. 
Nor  shall  he  do  these  things  by  his  own  counsels. 
But  by  obeying  the  excellent  rules  of  the  Great  God." 

Sibyl.  Orac.  3,  nrri  -  cv!. 


208  THE  MISSION  OF  JESUS.  [note  q. 

not  fulfilled  it  they  expected  his  reappearance  to  establish  such 
a  reign.* 

Of  course  a  temporal  ruler,  guided  by  God  and  clothed  with 
power  to  crush  injustice  and  oppression,  might  in  the  world's 
history  more  than  once  have  demolished  whatever  obstructed 
open  allegiance  to  God  or  the  impjrovement  coiasequent 
thereon.  Probably  such  interposition  would  have  diminished 
human  sense  of  responsibility  and  human  efforts,  nor  would 
mankind  have  learned  the  lessons  which  experience  has  taught 
them.  It  is  plain  at  least  that  divine  interposition  has  ad- 
dressed only  the  individual  conscience.  Wherever  correct 
views  of  God  have  depended  for  maintenance  on  supporters 
too  few,  too  disunited  or  unfaithful,  these  views  have  been 
overpowered  and  civilization  has  retrograded  or  been  driven 
out.  This  happened  to  Greek  civilization  —  the  child  of 
monotheism  —  at  Rome  ^  and  subsequently  in  Asia  and  North 
Egypt,  as  also  to  its  oftshoot  the  Saracenic  culture  in  Spain. ^ 
A  modern  era  witnessed  but  one  small  locality  where  reasonable 
freedom  was  allowed  to  the  utterance  of  Christian  truth  and 
to  the  advocacy  of  human  improvement.' 

*  See  Norton,  Statement  of  Reasons,  Appendix,  Note  B.  Compare 
Judaism,  pp.  235,  236. 

'"  See  Judaism,  pp.  11-14,  369,  387,  388. 

''  The  Saracenic  views  of  God  must  Lave  been  less  defective  than  the 
misnamed  Christian  ones  by  which  in  Spain  they  were  supplanted.  Com- 
pare Judaism,  p.  370. 

^  "To  Europe  and  mankind,  in  the  mean  time,  the  success  of  the  mari- 
time provinces  was  of  the  greatest  importance.  .  .  .  Resistance  to  those 
who  were  controlling  religious  opinions  by  fire  and  sword,  and  trampling 
upon  constitutional  privileges,  had  been  successfully  made. 

"  An  asylum  was  opened  for  all  those,  of  whatever  countiy,  who  fled 
from  persecution  ;  from  persecution  of  whatever  kind.  The  benefit  thus 
accruing  to  mankind  cannot  now  be  pro])erly  estimated,  for  we  cannot 
now  feel  what  it  is  to  have  no  refuge  and  no  means  of  resistance,  while 
men  are  ready  to  punish  us  for  our  opinions,  and  are  making  themselves 
iiujuisitors  of  our  conduct.  It  is  known  to  have  been  one  of  the  severest 
miseries  of  the  later  Romans,  that  they  could  not  escape  from  their  gov- 
ernment ;  that  the  world  belonged  to  their  emperors. 

"  It  was  in  the  Low  Countries  that  the  defenders  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty  found  shelter.  It  was  there  that  they  could  state  their  com- 
plaints, publish  what  they  conceived  to  be  the  truth,  and  maintain  and 
e.Kercise  the  privileges  of  free  in(|uiry.  Tiiese  were  the  countries  to  which 
Locke  retired,  and  where  William  the  Third  was  formed."  —  Smyth, 
Lectures  on  Mod.  Hist.,  Lect.  XII.  Vol.  1,  pj).  319-320.  Even  in  the 
Low  Countries  the  execution  at  a  .somewhat  earlier  date  of  Barneveldt  and 
the  imprisonment  of  Grotius  indicate  liow  slow  men  were  in  learning  to 
respect  the  rights  of  others. 


§2.]  SOME  IMPEDIMENTS   TO   IT.  209 

At  present  the  number  of  Christian  countries  which  more 
or  less  clearly  acknowledge  the  rights  of  conscience,  renders 
very  improbable  that  these  rights  can  again  be  totally  abol- 
ished.    Yet  many  impediments  affect  their  free  exercise. 

In  hereditary  monarchies  the  character  of  the  king  and  his 
surrouuders  may  hinder  growth. 

Monarchical  system  excessively  caiTied  out  may,  even  under 
a  good  sovereign,  impede  progress.  The  author  has  elsewhere 
quoted  (Judaism,  p.  3G7)  the  remark  of  an  old  philanthropist 
living  under  one  of  the  most  liberal  monarchies  of  continental 
Europe  ;  that  those  in  authority  were  sure  to  oppose  efforts  for 
improving  society  unless  they  themselves  had  been  previously 
consulted  and  their  approbation  obtained. 

Privileged  classes,  whether  ecclesiastical  or  secular,  may 
hinder  not  only  growth  of  correct  views  touching  God,  but  their 
application  to  human  welfare.  Even  if  the  sentiment  of  such 
class  be  against  existing  evils  there  will  be  hesitation  to  com- 
mence innovations,  whose  limit  cannot  be  foreseen. 

In  communities  not  qualified  for  self-government,  though 
living  under  popular  institutions,  thoughtful  citizens,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  merely  timid,  will  sometimes  oppose  a  com- 
mendable innovation  through  fear  of  other  changes  which  they 
might  prove  unable  to  hinder. 

Again :  War,  though  under  exceptional  circumstances  a 
duty,  is,  even  under  conscientious  commanders,*  a  sevei'e  in- 
terruption to  religious  development  and  human  improvement. 
European  standing  armies  absorb  young  men  by  hundreds  of 
thousands,  substituting  camp  influences  for  those  of  home. 

False  representations  of  Christianity  by  its  advocates  repel 
even  yet  not  a  few  right-minded  persons. 

In  most  European  monarchies  the  Church  is  more  or  less 
managed  by  the  government.  Many  who  identify  Christian- 
ity with  this  organization   imagine   that  the   renunciation  of 

8  Archeuholtz,  amid  incidents,  some  of  which  mi.2;ht  be  attributed 
partly  to  generous  sentiment,  narrates  the  following  :  "The  French,  under 
General  Mercieres,  captured  the  Westphalian  city  of  Bielefeld,  celebrated 
for  its  linen  manufacture,  on  which  occasion  the  bleaching  stations  were 
plundered,  though  the  General  opposed  these  excesses.  His  conscience, 
however,  told  him  that  he  could  have  acted  more  energetically.  There- 
fore, in  the  year  1790,  thirty-three  years  after  the  occurrence,  he  sent 
from  Bayonne  to  the  magistrate  of  Bielefeld  a  considerable  sum  of  money, 
with  the  request  to  apportion  it  among  the  sufferers  yet  living,  or  if  they 
were  dead  to  a])propriate  the  amount  in  some  other  way  useful  to  the 
city."  —  Geschichtc  des  Siebenjahrigen  Kricgcs,  1,  pp.  339,  340. 


210  THE  MISSION   OF  JESUS.  [note   Q. 

Christianity  is  requisite  to  republican  institutions.®  A  genera- 
tion or  two  may  pass  before  this  error  can  be  unlearned. 

In  our  own  country  its  marvellously  rapid  development 
keeps  multitudes  in  a  state  of  anticipation  and  speculation  un- 
favorable to  thoughts  of  personal  improvement. 

Yet  in  spite  of  impediments  those  views  of  God  for  which 
Christianity  furnished  needed  evidence  have  been  taking 
deeper  hold  among  mankind,  even  among  many  who  have  im- 
bibed them  without  knowing  the  extent  of  their  indebtedness 
to  Christianity.  Since  the  rights  of  conscience  have  been  more 
acknowledged,  the  application  of  religious  truth  has  been 
more  easy  and  human  progress  more  rapid.  Many  know  but 
little  of  what  was  tolerated  within  a  century. 

In  France,  prior  to  the  Revolution  of  1793,  the  punishment 
of  "  Wheeling  "  ^°  even  for  moderate  offences  had  been  rendered 
so  atrocious  that  it  would  seem  prompted  by  a  conclave  of 
demons. ^^  The  Revolution  abolished  it  and  similar  barbarities 
in  most  French-speaking  countries. 

In  Germany  this  mode  of  punishment  ^^  was  retained  in  a 

8  This  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  view  of  those  who  wish  merely 
to  dissolve  connection  between  Church  and  State,  a  step  from  which  some 
liberalists  shrink.     Compare  in  Judaism,  note  on  pp.  369,  370. 

1"  In  English  allusions  to  this  punishment  "Wheeling"  is  almost 
universally  mistranslated  "  breaking  on  the  wheel."  Mrs.  Hemans  has 
been  misled  by  such  phraseology  into  representing  the  wife  of  Kudolph 
Von  der  Wart  (Hemans's  Poetical  Works,  2,  p.  101)  as  remaining  by  her 
husband  during  the  hours  when  he  was  on  the  wheel. 

The  punishment  of  Wheeling  was  usually  executed  by  fastening  the 
subject  to  the  ground  and  breaking  his  limbs  either  with  a  common 
wagon-wheel,  or  with  one  made  for  the  purpose.  The  wheel  seen  by  the 
writer  at  Freiburg,  Switzerland,  was  much  smaller  than  a  wagon-wheel  ; 
was  provided  on  one  side  with  handles,  and  on  the  other  side,  for  per- 
haps a  fourth  or  a  third  of  its  ciicumference,  with  a  sharpened  iron  or 
steel  rim  to  facilitate  breaking  the  limbs.  His  guide  had  seen  a  man 
executed  with  it  in  1823. 

^1  In  France,  though  the  term  Wheeling  was  retained,  the  punish- 
ment was  inflicted  with  an  iron  club,  the  victim  being  stretched  in  an 
iron  frame.  The  directions  to  the  executioner,  which  the  author  read 
many  years  ago,  are  here  given  from  memory.  These  were  :  to  begin 
with  the  left  arm,  commencing  at  the  wrist  ;  then  with  the  left  leg  ; 
then,  after  some  delay,  with  the  right  leg,  and  then  with  the  right  arm. 
He  was  to  mangle  each  wrist,  elbow,  ankle,  and  knee-joint  with  two 
blows,  and  the  intervening  portion  of  each  limb  with  a  specified  number, 
not  less,  if  memory  serve  me,  than  five  or  six.  The  executioner  was  fur- 
ther directed  not  to  desist  because  of  cries  from  the  condemned  person. 

12  In  Germany,  as  I  was  informed  by  a  Berlin  lawyer,  two  forms  of 
condemnation  were  recognized  :  wheeling  from  above  downwards,  and 


§  2.]  SOME  IMPEDIMENTS  TO   IT.  211 

less  brutal  form  so  late,  at  least,  as  a.  d.  1841,  when  a  man 
was  "  wheeled  to  death  in  Prussia,"  ^'  at  a  spot  southwest  of 
Koenigsberg  on  the  sea-coast. 

In  the  United  States  burning  to  death  as  a  legal  punish- 
ment must  have  been  retained  in  a  state  so  far  northward  as 
New  Jersey  until  the  middle  of  the  last  century,"  while  in 
some  of  the  more  Southern  States  this  mode  of  punishment 
was  in  force  so  late  at  least  as  the  second  quarter  of  the  pres- 
ent one.^* 


FROM  BELOW  UPWARDS.  In  the  former  case  the  first  blow  fell  on  the 
chest,  and  was  expected  to  kill  the  victim,  the  limbs  being  afterwards 
broken  for  form's  sake  ;  in  the  latter  case  the  limbs  were  first  broken  and 
the  cou}}  de  grace,  or  finishing  stroke,  given  afterwards,  if  at  all. 

13  The  following  is  extracted  from  p.  87  of  a  German  newspaper  fur- 
nished me  by  the  Burgomeister  of  Frauenburg.  The  title  of  the 
paper  does  not  appear  on  the  slip  sent  nie.  "  Braunsberg,  July  7,  1841. 
This  morning  at  lialf  past  six  the  death  penalty  of  wheeling  from  below 
[upwards]  was  executed  on  the  robber  and  murderer  Rudolph  Kiihnapfel, 
...  in  the  vicinity  of  the  village  Nartz,  near  Frauenburg,  in  presence  of 
a  great  multitude."  The  bracketed  word  is  supplied  from  a  diflerent 
paper.  I  remember  an  extract  from  yet  another  paper  which  stated  that 
Kiihnapfel  was  ten  minutes  in  dying.  I  suppose  that  his  crime  may  have 
been  treated  as  constructive  parricide.  The  Bishop  of  Ermeland  whom 
he  murdered  may  have  been  regarded  as  his  spiritual  father.  I  was  told 
that  an  attempt  to  murder  the  king  could  be  punished  in  the  same  way, 
perhaps  on  the  ground  that  he  was  the  political  father  of  his  people,  yet 
in  aggravated  cases  the  punishment  may  have  been  adjudged  without 
stretching  the  meaning  of  language. 

1*  Tlie  author  has  learned  from  one  of  his  neighbors  that  when  the 
uncle  of  that  neighbor's  father  was  killed  in  New  Jersey  by  a  slave,  the 
slave  was  legally  executed  by  burning.  The  father  was  born  in  1760. 
Whether  the  execution  took  place  before  or  after  that  date  is  unknown  to 
his  informant. 

1*  W.  C.  Bryant  infoi-med  me  that  the  execution  in  South  Carolina 
of  a  negro  woman  by  burning  in  the  year  1820,  is  mentioned  by  Stroud 
in  his  Slave  Laws.     He  omitted  to  mention  the  page. 

An  intelligent  colored  man  now  resident  in  Meadville,  and  bom  he 
.says  in  1826  or  1827,  tells  the  author  that  during  his  childhood  his  grand- 
mother witnessed  a  similar  execution  of  a  man  near  Fayetteville,  N.  C. 
He  remembers  his  grandmother's  statement  that  the  man  (a  white  one 
he  thinks)  petitioned  to  have  oil  put  upon  the  fagots. 

The  author  himself  distinctly  recollects  reading  in  early  life  the  news- 
paper account  of  a  similar  execution  in  South  Carolina,  an  account  recol- 
lected also  by  one  of  his  older  relatives.  The  newspaper  said  that  the 
driest  of  fagots  had  been  procured  in  order  to  diminish  the  pain  of  execu- 
tion. As  a  Charleston  lady,  with  whom  he  conversed  in  1839  at  Geneva  in 
Switzerland,  was  unaware  of  the  execution,  and  as  he  has  had  a  Charles- 
ton paper  searched  ineffectually  for  its  record,  ho  supposes  it  to  have  oc- 
curred in  the  interior  of  the  State.     Lest,  moreover,  the  accuracy  of  his 


212  THE   MISSION   OF  JESUS.  [note    Q. 

The  late  Henry  Colman  of  Massachusetts  told  me  that  he 
had  in  early  life  seen  human  beings  carried  down  State  Street, 
Boston,  to  be  branded  and  to  have  their  ears  slit.^* 

The  exigencies  of  war  may  sometimes  be  thought  to  palliate 
harsh  treatment ;  but  corporal  punishment  in  the  peace  estab- 
lishment of  Frederick  the  Second  equalled  that  of  the  most 
barbarous  nations." 

If  we  consider  that  more  than  eighteen  centuries  ago  Tibe- 
rius, educated  partly  by  the  monotheistic  influences  of  Asia 
Minor,  abolished  corporal  punishment,^^  it  seems  as  if  the 
world  had  received  a  discouraging  back-set.  But  it  is  undoubt- 
edly fui'ther  advanced  than   in  his  time,  for  his  views  would 

memory  should  be  suspected,  he  will  state  some  of  the  circumstances 
which  corroborate  it.  He  remembers  conversing  on  the  subject  with  his 
father,  who  expressed  his  opinion  that  it  was  in  some  States  the  specified 
form  of  punishment  for  a  slave  who  killed  his  master.  Also  in  one  of 
his  own  letters  to  his  father,  dated  Jan.  12,  1841,  is  the  following  :  "  In 
Prussia  the  punishment  of  the  Wheel  is  still  in  use  for  persons  who  have 
killed  near  relations.  ...  In  Greece  1  see  from  the  papers  that  the  tor- 
ture still  exists.  Whether  we  have  so  far  got  rid  of  such  abominations 
in  our  own  country  as  to  have  formally  abolished  the  law  in  South  Caro- 
lina ordaining  burning  to  death  as  the  punishment  of  a  slave  who  kills 
his  master,  I  do  not  know.  I  remember  but  one  instance  of  such  an 
execution,  but  tliat  was  one  too  many." 

My  father's  opinion  that  the  form  of  punishment  was  specified  by  law, 
cannot  have  been  true  of  South  Carolina.  The  late  W.  C.  Bryant  pro- 
cured for  me  information  taken  from  Stroud's  Slave  Laics,  that  in  certain 
cases  the  method  of  punishment  was  left  to  the  discretion  of  three  magis- 
trates. 

18  I  learn  from  Judge  HoEir  that  "branding  and  cropping  the  ears 
were  abolished  as  punishments  in  Massachusetts,  in  1805  ;  whipping  in 
1826." 

"  "If  the  soldier  committed  a  [military  ?]  crime  he  had  to  run  the 
gantlet  through  a  lane  of  two  hundred,  or  rather  to  walk  it.  Six  times 
was  the  least,  thirty-six  the  liighest  number  of  these  painful  perambula- 
tions. The  last-mentioned  punishment  was  called  '  for  life  and  death,' 
and  was  divided  into  three  days,  and  on  the  last  day  the  wrong-doer's  cof- 
fin was  brought  with  liim  on  the  parade."  — Archenholtz,  Klcinc  Hist. 
Schriften,  1,  pp.  27,  28.  To  prevent  any  acceleiatiou  of  pace  by  the  con- 
demned man,  a  soldier  with  reversed  musket  under  his  arm  preceded  him 
so  that  he  could  not  quicken  his  pace  without  running  on  the  bayonet. 
This  ))unishnicut  his  comrades  must  sometimes  have  been  compelled  to 
execute  on  one  from  whom  they  had  received  kindness  and  whom  they 
would  gladly  have  spared. 

"  The  highest  crime  was  breach  of  subordination.  Even  for  the  slight- 
est faults  of  this  kind  [a  soldier]  was  confronted  b3'nnining  the  gantlet, 
or  by  the  bullet.  Wlioever  with  weapon  in  hand  carried  his  fault  to 
practical  acts  was  wheeled  alive."  —  Ibid.  p.  28. 

^  See  Tac.  An.  4,  (!,  quoted  in  Judaism,  p.  506. 


NOTE   R.]  THE  MINISTRY.  213 

now  find  a  general  sympathy  which  they  then,  in  Europe  at 
least,  failed  to  receive.  We  must  remember,  however,  that 
the  existence  of  mankind  on  the  earth  has  probably  little 
more  than  begun.  One  cycle  of  the  earth's  motion  requires 
more  than  a  thousand  centuries.'^  There  must  be  stellar 
cycles  for  which  a  million  centuries  would  be  but  a  fraction  of 
the  required  time.  The  hand  which  arranged  these  move- 
ments will  probably  permit  a  few  of  them  to  be  studied  before 
human  existence  shall  cease  on  earth.  The  lesson  learned  in 
eighteen  centuries  will  at  some  future  day  seem  a  brief  one. 

The  Pagan  nations  of  our  own  time  have  as  yet  come  in 
contact  chiefly  with  the  worst  traits  of  Christian  communities. 
They  have  seen  wars  ^  by  Christians  for  selfish  ends,  and 
have  not  found  models  of  virtue  in  the  crews  of  ships  visiting 
their  shores.  Patience  will  be  requisite  that  evil  lessons  may 
be  unlearned,  and  that  Christianity  may  appear  a  religion  of 
virtue  and  of  hope. 


NOTE   E. 

THE   MINISTRY. 


In  the  first  Christian  congregations  the  office  of  teaching 
was  not  restricted  to  any  one  individual,^     Several  shared  in 


19  "The  perihelion  .  .  .  of  the  earth's  orbit  acnomplishes  its  revolution 
in  one  hundred  and  eleven  thousand  years."  —  Mitchell,  Planetary  and 
Stellar  Worlds,  p.  177. 

20  Our  own  country  during  a  century  of  independent  existence  has 
waged  but  two  foreign  wars.  One  of  these  would  not  have  occurred  save 
for  a  privileged  class  no  longer  existing,  who  wished  to  extend  the  area 
of  that  institution,  Slavery,  on  which  their  privileges  were  based. 

1  "He  sent  to  Ephesus,  and  called  the  elders  of  the  church."  — 
Acts  20,  17.  "Take  heed  ...  to  all  the  flock  over  the  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  hath  made  you  iiri(TK6irovs,  bishops  [i.  e.  overseers]." — ^  Acts  20, 
2^.  The  word  overseers  in  the  common  version  is  the  same  which  is  else- 
where translated  bishops.  "  For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that 
thou  shouldest  .  .  .  ordain  elders  in  every  city.  .  .  .  For  a  bishop 
must  be  blameless."  — Titus  1,  .'>,  7.  "  Paul  ...  to  all  the  consecrated 
in  Philippi  with  the  bishops  and  deacons." —Philip.  1,  1.  "If  a  man 
desire  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he  desireth  a  good  work."  — 1  Tim.  3,  l. 
"  Likewise  must  the  deacons  be  grave,  not  double-tongued." — 1  Tim.  3,  s. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  the  last  two  instances  the  two  classes  of  offi- 


214  THE   MINISTRY.  [notE   R. 

it.  This  plan  was  attended  by  some  difficulties,  to  avoid 
which  the  custom  was  introduced  of  having  but  one  teacher 
in  each  congregation.  The  latter  plan  has  prevailed  in  most 
Protestant  denominations,  and  has  been  so  nearly  universal  that 
Christianity  and  the  ministry  have  in  the  majority  of  minds 
become  identified.  Many  persons  would  be  mentally  unable 
to  dissociate  the  two,  and  the  value  of  Christianity  is  esti- 
mated by  them  according  to  the  worth  of  its  supposed  repre- 
sentatives and  interpreters. 

The  Christian  ministry  has  undoubtedly  done  excellent  ser- 
vice, and  been  of  importance  to  the  religious  progress  of  man- 
kind.^ It  is  at  present,  however,  confronted  by  the  following 
obstacle.  In  proportion  as  mankind  become  attentive  to  their 
moral  and  religious  improvement,  it  becomes  more  and  more 
impossible  for  any  one  human  being  to  meet  the  wants  of  five 
hundred  others.^     Those  whom  he  addresses  are,  if  thoughtful 

cers  recognized  in  a  single  societj'  are  bishops  and  deacons,  the  former  of 
whom  aie  in  preceding  quotations  identified  with  elders. 

At  a  later  date  Jerome  says  :  ' '  Among  the  ancients  [i.  e.  the  earliest 
Christians]  bishops  and  presbyters  were  the  same  since  the  former  name 
[that  is,  overseer]  indicates  the  ofRce,  [while]  the  latter  designates  the 
age  [of  the  incumbents]."  —  Epist.  69  ad  Oceonum.  Ojrp.  1,  col.  415  A, 
edit.  Valiars.  Again  :  "  Therefore  a  presbyter  is  the  same  as  a  bishop, 
and  before  by  prompting  of  the  Devil  rivalries  took  place  in  religious 
matters  and  people  said  :  I  am  of  Paul,  I  of  Apollos,  and  I  of  Cephas, 
the  assemblies  were  governed  by  mutual  agreement  of  the  elders.  But 
after  each  one  thought  those  whom  he  had  baptized  to  be  his  own  [dis- 
ciples], not  Christ's,  it  was  determined  in  the  whole  world  that  one  se- 
lected from  the  elders  should  be  placed  above  the  othei-s,  to  whom  the 
whole  care  of  the  assembly  should  pertain,  and  [thus  that]  the  seeds  of 
division  should  be  removed."  —  Comment,  ad  Tit.  1,  7  :  0pp.  7,  Part.  I. 
col.  694,  695,  edit.  Valiars. 

2  The  above  remark  must  not  be  understood  of  the  ministry  while,  or 
in  so  far  as,  its  discourses  were  in  an  unknown  tongue.  The  writer  re- 
members listening  to  a  lecture  in  which  was  quoted  a  regal  admonition 
to  the  Anglican  clergy,  telling  them  to  dispense  with  laziness  and  write 
their  sermons  in  Latin.  He  has  not  had  opportunity  to  hunt  up  this  ad- 
monition, but  thinks  that  it  was  issued  by  Charles  II. 

The  literary  folly  which  prompted  such  directions  existed  much  later 
in  European  institutions  of  learning.  Firmness  equally  as  good  sense 
may  have  been  requisite  in  Dr.  George  Campbell  when  telling  his 
pupils  that  he  knew  no  reason  why  he  should  give  himself  more  trouble 
in  order  to  render  his  lectures  less  intelligible.  "  I  should  think  it  un- 
pardonable to  sacrifice  the  profit  of  the  students  to  the  parade  of  learn- 
ing ;  or  to  waste  more  time  in  composing,  to  no  other  end  I  may  say,  but 
to  render  the  composition  less  useful."  —  Lectures  on  Systemat.  Theol., 
near  close  of  Lecture  1. 

3  The  above-mentioned  diflaculty  may  be  illustrated  by  supposing  that 


NOTE  R.]  THE   MINISTRY.  215 

for  their  own  improvement,  growing  in  a  variety  of  directions, 
and  need  aid  of  very  difterent  kinds  in  order  to  facilitate  their 
progress.*  Even  the  same  individual  may  within  a  brief 
period  go  through  experience  of  difterent  kinds  and  need  aid 
in  the  subject  of  his  or  her  thoughts  rather  than  to  have  them 
diverted  to  something  else. 

in  mental  education  a  teacher  were  required  to  instruct  pupils  in  Mathe- 
matics and  Metaphysics,  Astronomy  and  Architecture,  Surgery  and  Civil 
Engineering,  History  and  Hygiene,  Jurispnidence,  Ancient  Languages, 
Natural  History,  and  other  branches  of  modern  study.  Could  any  one 
expect  a  satisfactory  result  ? 

*  Whoever  studies  the  moral  and  religious  wants  of  life  will  find  them 
diversified.  A  business  man,  witnessing  the  various  avenues  for  dishon- 
esty and  the  disguises  which  screen  it,  will  deem  firmness  of  condem- 
nation requisite  to  uphold  business  rectitude  in  the  community,  or  to 
guard  his  own  mind  against  indiff"erence. 

One  placed  so  as  to  notice  the  need  of  encouragement  and  kind  speech 
may  see  most  call  for  attention  to  these  and  for  illustration  of  the  manner 
in  which  they  can  best  be  given. 

A  person  brought  up  under  erroneous  views  of  religion,  and  who  has 
suffered  much  from  such  views,  will  highly  esteem  the  teachings  which 
dispel  error. 

One  engaged  in  study  of  the  Scriptures  will  desire  the  suggestions  or 
information  that  assist  comprehension  of  them. 

Those  engaged  in  benevolent  work  see  constant  opportunities  of  good 
to  be  done  ;  of  children  to  be  rescued  from  vice  or  suffering,  and  of  ma- 
ture persons  to  be  aided  while  struggling  to  keep  the  right  path.  Thej' 
long  for  teachings  which  may  guide  their  efforts  or  call  others  to  their 
aid. 

Some,  disheartened  amid  daily  duties  and  distractions,  feel  the  need  of 
raising  their  thoughts  to  the  Source  of  strength,  and  of  finding  in  com- 
munion with  the  Father  of  their  spirits  serenity  and  new  strength  to  en- 
counter harassing  cares.  Tiiey  need  to  be  called  away  from  daily  occu- 
pations rather  than  to  have  them  more  vividly  presented. 

Blended,  often  at  least,  with  the  foregoing  is  a  dissatisfaction  due  to 
incorrect  views  of  life.  Persons  look  on  its  avocations  as  interruptions 
rather  than  as  aids  to  self-development.  To  this  class  correct  views  of 
life  would  be  an  inestimalsle  boon. 

Some  have  had  questionings  as  to  whether  Jesus  were  or  were  not 
authorized  to  make  a  revelation,  and  to  them  the  question  may  be  one  of 
painful  importance.  The  evidence  which  they  need  must  be  of  that  kind 
which  they  are  most  competent  to  appreciate. 

Others,  aside  perhaps  from  questions  about  the  authorization  of  Jesus, 
are  striving  to  look  beyond  the  term  of  human  existence  here  and  to  catch 
some  glimpses  of  a  future  one.  Considerations  which  may  give  them 
confidence  will  prove  of  great  value. 

Some  are  occupied  in  a  contest  with  social  evils.  They  have  had 
friends  or  relatives  carried  to  ruin,  and  are  more  intent  on  combating  the 
evils  of  this  life  than  on  thoughts  of  a  future  one.  They  need  in  many 
cases  wise  counsel  to  prevent  feeling  from  overriding  judgment. 


216  THE  MINISTRY.  [NOTE  B. 

Of  course  many  ministers  could  by  methodical  study  of 
their  congregations  meet  wants  which  now  go  unsupplied. 
Were  a  minister  to  provide  a  list  of  his  parish,  and  to  append 
opposite  each  name  what  he  deemed  the  chief  wants  of  that 
individual ;  were  he  also,  by  observation,  thought,  and  conver- 
sation, to  correct  his  own  judgments  and  alter  his  memoran- 
dum accordingly,  he  would  have  sketclied  out  before  him  an 
approximate  map  of  his  work.  By  such  effort  he  would  meet 
the  wants  of  his  people  far  more  nearly  than  if  his  pulpit 
themes  were  taken  from  the  last  question  mooted  in  theological 
and  secular  journals. . 

Still  the  difficulty  cannot  be  ignored  that  only  a  person 
gifted  with  more  than  average  observation  and  reflection,  and 
with  more  than  average  capacity  of  conveying  his  ideas  to 
others,  can  in  a  thoughtful  congregation  hope  to  meet  even  a 
majority  of  its  wants.  The  question,  therefore,  arises  whether 
the  present  plan  of  meeting  such  wants  can  be  supplemented 
or  improved. 

Let  us  suppose  a  well-selected  library  ^  of  religious  and 
moral  literature,  including  clear-headed  discussions  on  the 
various  duties  of  a  human  being  to  himself  and  his  fellows, 
and  let  us  suppose  a  portion  of  time  set  apart  when  the  con- 
gregation should  meet  for  silent  perusal  of  what  is  best 
adapted  to  each  one's  wants.  A  preliminary  need  would  be  an 
Index  to  the  topics  treated  in  the  library,  unless  some  one 
men)ber  happened  to  be  so  thoroughly  posted  that  he  could 
point  out  to  others  where  the  desii'cd  reading  might  be 
found.« 


^  A  suitable  library  ought  of  course  to  contain  not  nierel}'  the  subjects 
mentioned  in  the  preceding  note,  but  many  others  not  there  suggested. 
For  study  of  the  Scriptures  there  should  be  translations,  commentaries, 
concordances,  Bible  dictionaries,  and  other  critical  aids.  In  selecting 
translations  it  would  be  well  to  have  such  as  w-ere  made  on  dilferent 
plans.  The  rendering  best  suited  to  a  scholar  is  by  no  means  always 
that  most  fitted  for  the  average  reader. 

Fiction  on  moral  topics,  though  not  to  be  excluded  from  such  a  library, 
should  be  admitted  with  the  utmost  caution.  Miss  Sedgwick's  Live  and 
Let  Live  treats  one  class  of  human  duties  more  successfully  than  could  be 
hoped  for  in  most  cases  from  the  jiulpit.  But  this  is  more  than  can  be 
said  for  many  works  of  fiction  even  when  written  with  moral  intent. 

®  In  the  absence  of  printed  Indexes  some  one  might  be  employed  to 
prepare  a  s))ecial  Index  for  each  library,  or  a  dozen  societies  might  con- 
jointly employ  some  skilled  person  to  make  such  a  work.  Printed  In- 
dexes would,  however,  soon  come  into  existence  if  their  want  were  gener- 
ally felt.  In  them  there  should  be  marks  to  distinguish  brief  statements 
from  copious  articles. 


NOTE  B.J  THE   MINISTRY.  217 

The  time  devoted  to  silent  reading  should  not  preclude 
public  devotional  exercises,  nor  yet  public  instruction,  which, 
in  the  absence  of  a  minister,  might  be  supervised  by  one  or 
more  members  of  the  congregation.'' 

A  chief  risk  with  such  a  library  would  be  the  introduction 
of  sensational  works,  dignified  or  not  by  the  title  of  religious. 
A  similar  risk  exists  in  the  pulpit,  but  can  there  less  readily 
than  in  a  library  escape  attention  from  thoughtful  members  of 
the  congregation.  Much  would  depend  on  the  judgment,  at- 
tention, and  earnest  religious  feeling  of  those  by  whom  any 
such  experiment  were  tried.  A  number  of  congregations,  by 
communicating  to  each  other  the  result  of  their  experience, 
might  eliminate  mistakes  and  suggest  improvements. 

■^  Of  course  those  best  qualified  to  select  hymns  may  not  always  be  the 
ones  best  qualified  to  lead  the  singing.  Those  best  qualified  to  decide  on 
a  discourse,  or  a  series  of  extracts  for  public  reading,  may  not  be  best 
qualified  for  reading  aloud,  and  may  need  to  intnist  this  duty  to  an- 
other. 


INDEX  I. 

QUOTATIONS   FEOM  SCEIPTUEE. 


Gen.  1,  26  . 
9,4.. 

49.  10, 11 
Exod.  3,  2,  6,  14 

31,  16,  17 
Psalms  8,  2    . 

19. 5  .     . 

22.6  .  . 
45, 3  .    . 

Isaiah  1,  13    . 

2,  3     .    . 

44,6   .     . 

53,  2  .    . 

53,  3,  4   . 

53,12.    . 
Jer.  31,  31,  32 
t:zek.  20,  12  . 
Zecli.  11,  12,  13 
Matt.  1,  1-20 

3,7     .     . 

10, 3   .    . 

10,  22,  23 

11,  25  .  . 
22,32.  . 
24,  36  .  . 
27,  1-11 
27,  15-20 

27,  23-26 
27,51-54 
27,59-28, 

28,  10-16 
28,  19,  20 

Maik  3,  18  . 
6,  20  .  . 
9,41    .     . 

12,  26,  27 
13,32.  . 
15,  28  .  . 
16,9-20. 


.  195 
.  46 
.  22 
.  191 
.  43 
.  163 
.  23 
.  39 
.  41 
.  12 
.  81 
.  197 
.  39 
.  40 
.  57 
.  66 
.  43 
.  112 
.  202 
.  156 
.  15S 
.  78 
.  163 
.  31 
.  80 
89,90 
.     87 


88,89 
.  89 

49,  91 
.  158 
.  154 
.  60 
.  31 
.  80 
.  57 

90,91 


Mark  16,  17,  18 
Luke  1,  1,  2 
2,  11    . 

2,  39    . 
6,  15,  16 
10,  20  . 
20,37,38 
21,  12 
22,37 
23,2 
24,  13,  15 
24,  32 
24,  36 . 

John  1,  1-14 
1,  17    . 

I,  25    . 

3,  25,  26 
4,3  . 
5,  39,  46. 

9,  22    .  ■ 
15,20. 

16.2  . 

17.3  . 
20,  1,  14,  18 
20,  19.  27 

See  also  pp. 
Acts  1,  8,  9     . 
8,  16     .     . 

10,  48  .  . 
11,3  .  . 

II,  26  .  . 
15,7  .  . 
15,  10  .  . 
15,  28,  29 
17,18.  . 
19,5  .  . 

20,  17,  28 

21,  20  -  24 


Page 
.  206 
.  182 
.  60 
.  201 
.  15S 
.  205 
.  31 
.  78 
.  67 
.  60 
90,91 
.  38 
.  91 
.  200 
.  61 
.  48 
.  49 
.  49 
.  3S 
.  60 
.  78 
.  78 
.  60 
.  90 
.  91 
93  - 102 
91 
50 
50 


.  55 

.  46 
10,  11 

.  47 

.  67 

.  50 

.  213 

.  10 


14, 


28 


Acts  22,  16 

26,  28. 
Rom.  4,  9,  10 

14,  3,  5, 

14,  20 . 
1  Cov.  1,  22 

4,9      . 
7,21     . 

8,  1-11 

9,  24-26 

10,  2 

15,  3J  . 
Gal.  2,  2-5 

2,  11-13 
4,  9,  10 
5,6;  6, 

Eiih.  6,  0   . 

6,  12   . 

Phil.  1,  1    . 

3,  13.14 
Col.  2,  16,  17 

3,  22    . 

4,  1.     . 

1  Tim.  2,  9,  10 

3,1,  S. 
3,  15  ;  4 
6,1     . 

2  Tim.  2,  5 
Titu.s  1,  5,  7 

2,9      . 

Hcb.  1,  13  ;  2 

8,  8,  9 . 

12,1    . 

1  Peter  2,  18 

3,  3,  4. 

4,  16    . 

2  Peter  3,  7,  12,  13 
John,  Epistles     . 


Page 

.  50 

.  55 

.  11 

.  9 

.  28 

.  67 

.  62 

.  64 

.  9 

.  62 

.  9 

.  62 

9,  10 

.  11 

.  12 

.  9 

.  64 

.  62 


213 
62 
12 
64 
64 
69 

213 
73 
64 
63 

213 
64 
91 
66 
62 
64 
69 


55 
36 
93-102 


INDEX  II. 

CITATIONS   FKOM  ANCIENT  AUTHOES. 


Page 
Acts  OF  Pilate,  5, 107-  142 

§    3 90 

15 91 

Antoninus,  pseudo,  167, 

108 
Apostol.  Constitut. 

7,  -23 45 

Arnobius,  adv.  Gentes, 

I,  1 IS 

"27 14 

"57 1 

7,  7 20 

Ascension  of  Isaiah, 

3,12-25.     .     109,170 

7,  9-12  .    .     .     .  170 
9,  13-18.     .    170,  171 

5,  40     ...     .  170 

11,2-15.     .     .     .171 

"   18-22     .     171,  172 

"41-43     .     .     .  170 

Athenagokas,  Supplicat. 

7,9 73 

8, 196 

10  ...  .  194,390 
Augustine,  Epist.  54  .  101 
Barnabas,  Eiiist.  15  .  32 
Barucu,  4,  30,  37   .     .     33 

Cf.lsus 40 

Cicero,  de  Nat.  Deoruni, 
1, 30     ...     .   15,  81 

••111 15 

3,  94 15 

Clementine  Homilies, 
3,7 196 

8,  20 24 

II,  12 '29 

16,  15,  16     .     .     .  190 

Clement  of  Alexandria, 

Protrept.  2    ...     81 

Pfcdag.  3,  25     .     .     47 

Strom.  1,  18,  SO     .    CO 

1,  64,  72,  87,  101     67 

'•67      ....    68 

3,  92     ....  188 

6,  41,66,67,156, 

159     ....     66 
6,  SO     ....    68 
Codex  Theod.  2,  8     .45 
Cohort atio  ad  Gr^cos, 

14 67 

15 179 

21 197 

Com  modi  ANUS,  Instruct. 

6,  13 37 

8,  8,  9 .    .    .     .20,  37 


Page 

CONSTANTINE,  EdictS  Of,    45 

Corpus  Juris  CiviLis,     45 
Council  of  Laodicea, 

29 45 

Dio  CJassius.  55,  7  .    .    82 
DiOGNETUS,  Epistle  to, 

4 13 

7,  8  .     .     .    .     198,  199 
Epipuanius,  Haeres. 

29,  9 ISO 

30,  3 ISO 

Esduas  2d,  14,  15,  16      19 
EusEBius,  Ecc.  Hist. 

1,  13   40,149,  150,158- 

101 

3,  37 184 

"  39     .     .     31,  32,  203 

4,  29 184 

5,  1 03 

••  9,  10     .     ...  187 

Her-mes  Trismegistus, 

179-181 

Homilies  on  Luke, 

Prologue  to  .     .     .  189 

Ignatius,  Magues.  9    .    44 

1REN.EUS,  cout.  Ha;res. 

3,  1,  1 203 

3,11,7     .     .     184,185 

3,  11,  8     .    .     .     .  184 

4,  15,  1  .  .  .  .  59 
"  10,  1  .  .  .  .  43 
"  10,  1,  2  ...  13 
"  10,  2  ....  59 
•'  33,  11-12      .     .     40 

5,  ol,  2  .  .  30,  171 
'•  33,  2,  3  ...  32 
"  35,  1,  2  .  .  .  33 
"  35,  1     .     .     .     .     34 

Jerome,  de  Vir.  Illust. 

2,  3 186 

8 203 

12 101 

18 32 

cont.  Pelag.  3  .  .186 
Epist.  09   ad    Ocea- 

nuin 214 

Comiiient.  ad  Tit.     214 
Coinnient.  in    Matt. 
12, 13  .    .    .     ,  186 

Josephus,  Aiitiq. 

18,  3,  2-4  ...  153 
18,  5,  1-3  .  154,  155 
20,  9.  1     .    .     156,  157 

Justin  Martyr, 

Apology,  1,  6  .  .  190 


Page 
Apology,  1,  13  .  .  190 
"14  ....  192 
"  20,57,60  .  .  36 
"35  ....  105 
"44  ....  67 
"48  ...  2,  105 
"  61  .  48, 49,  205 
•'63  .  .  190, 191 
"  66  ....  49 
2,  6  .  .  .3,  27,  53 

"7 36 

Dialogue,  2,  8     .   67,  68 
10,11,21,23,27,43  12 

11 206 

14      ....   39,40 

24 173 

48  .  .  .  190,  192 
50,  56,  57, 58,  60  192 
CO,  61  .  .  192,  193 
SO  ....  31,  32 
92  ....  1-2,13 
Lactantius,  Div.  Inst. 

1,  6;  2,  11,10  .     .  180 

4,  0 201 

"9 180 

"  13    .     .     .    ISO-lSl 

6,  -25 181 

7,  4,  13,  IS   .     .     .  181 
Lyons  and  Vienke,  Let- 
ter from 47 

MiNucius   Felix,    Octa- 

vius,  28 27 

Oratio  ad  Gr/ECOS,  5       16 

Origen,  Epistle.     .     .  185 

Comment  in  Matt 

§  100    .     .    .     .     41 

10,  17  .     .     .     .  158 

•'    18    .    .     .     .   169 

12,  43   .     .    .     .     33 

Cont.  Celsum., 

1,  47     ....  157 

2,  13     .    .     157,  153 
6,  75     .    .     .    40,  41 

•'77  .  .  .  .41 
Orosius,  7,9  ...  79 
Orpheus,  pseudo  .  .179 
Papias  .  .  .  31,32,203 
Philosophumena,  5,7  187 
Seneca, 

Nat.  Quaest.  7,  2  .     77 
Pseudo    Letters,  161  ■ 
166 
SiBYiLiNE  Oracles, 

1,  3'24-400  .    172-175 
3,  47-50,652-656  207 


CITATIONS  FROM  ANCIENT  AUTHOKS. 


221 


Page 


Sibylline  Oracles, 

Tertullian, 

6, 1-15,  16-28    175 

176 

de  Praiscript.  Hseret. 

8,  250,  207    ..     . 

40 

15      .     .     .     185,  186 

••  250-323  .    176- 

178 

37 186 

"  278 

174 

adv.  Marcion,  4,  5    184 

"  324  -  336  .     .     . 

179 

4,  22      ....     73 

Suetonius, 

adv.  Prax.  16    .    .  200 

Augustus,  40     .    . 

82 

adv.  Judsos  2  .    43,  44 

Vespasian,  4.     .     . 

204 

de  Idololat.  1     .     .     29 

Doiiiitian,  9  .     .     . 

82 

Aiiology,  9    ...     47 

Tacitus,  Aiiiials,6,  32 

156 

21      ...     1,  3. 105 

History,  4,  81  .     . 

204 

27 19 

Tatian.  Orat.  4,  5,  7    . 

195 

ad  Nat.  1,  7,  8  .    .     56 

13 

194 

2,2 68 

18 

24 

Scorpiace,  10     .     .     50 

25    ...     .  15,30,  36 

de  Orat.  18  .    .   45,  46 

40 

67 

Page 
Tertullian, 

de  Biiplisnio,  13    .     49 
Theophills,  ad  AutoL 

1,  5 14 

"14 67 

2,  9, 10     .     .     .     .    72 

"10 195 

"17 71 

"  18  .  .  .  .  20,  195 
"  22  .  .  .  194,  195 
"37 67 

3,  17 17 

-18 18 

"  20    .     .     .     .    18,  19 

Virgil,  iEiieid,  1,  1    .    82 

1,  282  ....    82 

Georg.  2, 537    .    .    82 


INDEX  III. 

WOEDS   AND   SUBJECTS. 


Words  marked  with  an  *  will  be  found  also  in  Index  I.  or  Index  II. 


Abbot,  E.,  V. 

Abdel  LeuarinKasen,151. 

Abdus,  160. 

Abdus,  the  son,  160. 

Abel,  11. 

Abgarus,    158,    159,      160; 

pseudo  correspondence  of, 

with  Jesus,  4,6,  149-150. 
Abraham,   11,    12,    31,  59, 

192 ;  brought  to  life,  148. 
Acabar,  151. 
Achaia,  163 
Acrostics,  172. 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,*  21, 57, 

62,  85,  90. 
Acts  of  Pilate,*  v,  2, 3, 4, 17, 

50,  86,   87,  89,  105-142, 

143,  145,  206. 
Adam,  44,  59,  137. 
Adamantius,  189. 
Adas,  140 
Addas,  140,141. 
jEdilitlan  tribute,  62. 
JEneas,  19. 
JEnn ,  50,  171. 

.^sculapius  ;  see  Esculapius. 
Africa,  17,  61. 
Ages,  two,  of  Just  Men,  59  ; 

middle,  206. 
Agra,  151. 

Agrippa,  king  156,  157. 
Agrippina,  69,  81. 
Albiuu.'',  157. 
Alexander,    son   of  Simon, 

129. 
Alexander  the  Great,  165. 
Alexandria,  70,  79,  157,189, 

202,203,204. 
Alpheus,  ].')8. 
All-men,  meaning  of,  68. 
All-Ruler,  52,  177,  198. 
Amos,  170 
Ananias,  the  prefect,  6  ;  the 

courier,  149,  1-50. 
Ananua,  156 ;  the  younger, 

156,1-57. 
Ancient     Customs,      Disci- 
pline, 194. 
Angaeus,  140, 141. 
Angel  of  Christian  Church, 

169- 
Angels,24|  evil,  23,  26. 


Annas,  high-priest,  107,108, 
116,  117,  118,  135,  147. 

Antichrist,  34,  35 ,  cp.  Be- 
liar 

Antioch,  11,  92. 

Antiquity,  iii,  18. 

Antiquities,  Jewish,  158. 

Antoninus,  Marcus,  63,  72, 
75,80,  190,  196;  his  reign 
reactionary,  193  ;  pseudo 
letter  of,  7,  167,  168. 

Antoninus,  Pius,  80,  190. 

Apelles,  184,  185,  187- 

Apoc.  N.  Test  ,  161,  182. 

Apolliuarius,  32. 

ApoUos,  214. 

Apostolic  Age,  8,43,  50,  58. 

Apronius,  165 

Archelaus,  147. 

Archenholtz,  209,  212. 

Aretas,  154,  155- 

Argus,  180. 

Aristocracy,  Jewish,  35,  55, 
154. 

Aristocracy,  Roman,  14,  34, 
35,54,82,  154,  156. 

Ark  33,200. 

Armies,  standing,  209- 

Arnuphis,  167. 

Ascension  of  Isaiah,  v,  7,  77, 
169  - 172. 

Assembly  (an  aeon),  50- 

Asia,  55, 151, 208  ;  the  prov- 
ince, 62. 

Asia  Minor,  17,  61,  74,  77, 
212. 

Asiarchs,  62. 

Atheism,  56. 

Atheists,  55- 

Athenagoras,*  16, 30,  .52,  53, 
68,  72,  75,  78,  193, 199 

Atonement,  vicarious,  29. 

Attalus,  63 

Atticus,  M.  v.,  166. 

Augustine,*  48. 

Augustus,  54,80,  82 

Autolycus,  194. 

Bacchus,  18,  22. 
Bacis,  72. 

Baptism,  48-50;  of  Jesus, 
49, 175. 


Baptism,  vicarious,  48  ;  into 

the  spirit,  206. 
Baptismal   formula,  50,  83, 

204-206. 
Barabbas,  87,  88, 125. 
Barbarians,  68. 
Barnabas,*  9,  11,  21,  173; 

epistle  of,  44,  173. 
Barneveldt,  208- 
Bartholomew,  186,  187- 
Basilides,  185,  187. 
Beelzebub,  109, 115- 
Beliar,  34, 3^3  ;  cp.  Berial  and 

Antichrist- 
Bellerophon,  23 
Berial,  169;  cp.  Beliar- 
Berlin,210 
Berouice,  124. 
Bethlehem,    115,    126,  171, 

201. 
Bib.  Repository,  151,  152- 
Bibliotheca  Theolog.,  151- 
Bielefeld,  209. 
Bishop,  213,  214. 
Blaesilla,189. 
Blood,    contains    the  soul, 

43;  eating  of,  46-48. 
Bondsman,    Bondsmen,  64, 

65- 
Books,  the  written,  112- 
Boston,  212- 
Bi-aun.sberg,  211. 
Bryant,  211,  212. 
Burning,    punishment    by, 

211,  212. 

Caesar,  Julius,  80. 

Ca;sarea,  186. 

Caiaphas,  107,  108, 116, 117, 

118, 136,  1.38,  147. 
Caligula  (Cains),  15,  36,  81, 

155,   156    166:    abolishes 

public  games,  63. 
Calvin,  183 
Cambridge,  v. 
Campbell,  G  ,  183,  214. 
Capito,  jurist.  81. 
Capito,  consul,  164. 
Cam  u  turn,  167. 
Carpocrates,  187- 
Castor,  a  god,  163-  _ 
Castor,  Agrippa,  187. 


WORDS   AND   SUBJECTS. 


223 


Catholics,  21,  171;  liberal- 
ist,31,33. 

Celsus,  71,  75,  115. 

Cephas,  214. 

Ccreuionial  Law  ;  ^e.e  Law. 

Cerinthus,  ISO,  187. 

Charles  II.,  214. 

Charleston,  211. 

Charmus(Charinus),  26. 

Chrestos,  Chrestus,  55. 

Christ,  di.su.'^e  of  term,  75, 
76,  193,  199  ,  au!eou,50. 

Chri.'^tiau,  Christians,  terms 
applied  to,  54  55,  56,  71  ; 
terms  used  by,  56  -  58  ; 
charges  against,  18,  19 ; 
8emi-.lewish,  12,  31,  33; 
Jewish, 28,  29,  31,  33,  42, 
46;  Geutile,  8,  9,  lu,  43, 
46, 47  ;  Kasteni ,  45  ;  \\'est- 
eru,4.5;  Catholic,  21. 

Church,  Discipline,  73,  74; 
authority,  206 

Church,  Greek,  Latin,  East- 
ern, 46 

Churches,  Gentile,  Latin,48. 

Cicero,  M.  T.,*  62,  76,  77, 
176,  180,  190. 

Cicero,  Quintus,  62. 

City,  the  truly  Holy,  a3. 

Claudius,  28,  63,  81  :  statue 
of,  for  the  temple,  34,  3-5. 

Clement  of  Alexandria,'  25, 
26,  52,  53,  55,  63,  70,  77, 
78,179,  186,  189,203. 

Clement  of  Rome,  188,  203. 

Clementines.*  Clementine 
Homilies,  152,189,205. 

Cohortatio  ad  GrjECOs,*  17, 
52,  58,  68. 

Colman,  H.,  212. 

Colo.ssians,*  Ep.  to,  28,  43. 

Com  mod  us,  80. 

Contlagration,  The,  36. 

Constantine,  edicts  of,  45. 

Corinthians,*  Ep.  to,  21,  28, 
81.  48.  57,  73,  163. 

Cotta,  180. 

Council,  8,  28.  46.  47. 

Creation  of  man,  iv ;  of  uni- 
verse, 14. 

Creator,  term  as  used  by 
Catholics,  194. 

Croesus,  25 

Culture,  Greek,  iii,  81,  82; 
Saracenic,  208. 

Cyrene.  129 

Cy renins,  74. 

D.avid,  136,  171.  176,  184. 

Deacons,  213,  214. 

Death,  44. 

Deity;  see  God. 

Deity,  Sabine,  34. 

Deities,  heathen.  14,  17.  18, 
19,  21-29,  170;  authors 
of  evil,  71 ;  no  revelation 
from,  20 ;  not  predicted, 
37. 


Demas,  131,  132.  _ 
I)e  Mouarihia,  197. 
Ueuious,  109,  143,  206,  210 ; 

see  Deities,  heatheu. 
Devil,  45,  66,  67,214. 
De  W'ette,  183. 
Diatessaron,  184. 
Didymus,  189. 
Dillmann,  170,  172. 
Dio  Cassius,»  14,  63,  69, 167 
Dio  Chrysostom,  69. 
Diognetus,*  Ep.  to,  27,  43. 
Dionysius,  165. 
Divination,  23,  76. 
Domitian,  55,  64,  80,  82. 
Doxologv,  137. 
Dress   69,  70. 
Dysmas,  128,  131. 

Earth,    growing     old,    19 ; 

form  of,  76 
Earthquake,    133,    149;    in 

Judea,  88,  137,  138. 
East,  204  ;  king  from,  207. 
Ebionites,  185,  186. 
Eclipse,  76,  133. 
Economy,      a       theological 

term,  199. 
Edessa,  149,  150,  158. 
Edessene  Archives,  7. 
Egypt,  61,  67,  77,  115,  122, 

126,   132,   170,    173,    180, 

188,     201,    203;     North, 

208. 
Egyptians,  18,  122, 180, 186, 

188,  189. 
Eighth  Day,  44,  46,  173. 
Eighth  Sphere,  173. 
Eleatics.  68. 
Elijah,  41. 
Elysian  Fields,  25. 
Emaus,  5,  6. 
Emmaus,  91. 

Emperor,      Roman,     oppo- 
nent of  God,  34,35. 
Ennfpas,  107,  108 
Enna-us,  5,  106,  108. 
Endor,  23 

Enoch,  11,12,13;  book  of,  24. 
Ephesus,21,  62,  213. 
Epicureans.  67,  68. 
Epicurus,  66. 68 
Epiphanius.*  187,  188, 189. 
Ermeland,  Bp.  of,  211. 
Esau,  192. 
Esculapius,  181. 
Esculapius    (the  god),     23, 

109 
Eucharist.  49 
Europe,  65,  193.  208.  213 
Euppbius,*  7.  36,   85,    105, 

186,  188,  189 
Eustodiiuiu,  189. 
Eve,  23,  70,  177. 
Ezekiel,  32. 

Fabricius  1.51.161. 
Fascial,  109,  110.  114. 
Father  of  Justice,    of  the 


heavens,  of  the  universe, 

52,  53. 
Fatliers,  the,  2 
Fayetteville,  211. 
Festus,  157, 
First-day,  44,  46. 
Foreign  Rites,  43. 
France,  210. 
Fraueuburg,  211. 
Frederick  II.,  212. 
Freiburg,  210. 
Frothingham,  183. 
Fucinus,  Lake,  69. 

Galatians,*  Ep.  to,  43,  58, 
163. 

Galilee,  89,  95,  107, 139,  140, 
141,142,  171,201. 

Games,  public,  61  -  63,  84  ; 
Christians  sacrificed  in, 
63 

Gaul,  6L 

Gemalitis,  154. 

General,  a  conscientious, 
209 

Genesis,*  8,  18,  192. 

Geneva,  211. 

Gentile,  Monotheists,  3,  69. 
115;  Christians,  8,  9,  43, 
46,  47. 

Germany,  167,  210. 

Gestas  (Stegas),  131. 

Gnostics,  20,  21,  70,  77, 
184  ;  Alexandrine,  60  , 
Valentinian,  77,  173. 

God,  de.signations  of,  51- 
63  ;  a  pilot,  14  ;  the  Crea- 
tor, 15.  52 ;  devoid  of 
name,  36,  51 ;  spherical 
form  of,  16  ;  whether  cor- 
poreal, 15,  16,  81 ;  Gnos- 
tic view  of,  21  ;  a  spirit, 
15  ;  discussion  of  his  an- 
tiquity, 18. 

Gospel,  meanings  of  term, 
183. 

Gospels,  alleged  uncanoni- 
cal,7,182-'l89. 

Greece,  61,  212. 

Greek  Church,  46 

Greek,  Culture  or  Civiliza- 
tion, iii,  81,  82,  208  ;  so- 
ciety, 69  ;  dress,  82. 

Greeks,  adopted  Jewish 
views  of  God,  81. 

Gregory  of  Nyssa,  203. 

Grotius,  208. 

Hadrian,  65.  80. 

Heavens,  lower,  171 ;  seven, 

77,    171  ;    seventh,    171  j 

eighth,  173 
Hebrews,   antiquity  of,  18  ; 

Lord's  day  of,  110  ;  writer 

to,  166 
Hebrews,*  Ep.  to,  166,  169, 

207. 
Hemans,  Mrs.,  210. 
Heracleon,  185. 


224 


WORDS   AND    SUBJECTS. 


Hercules,  23,  145. 

Heretics,  185. 

Hernias,  49,59. 

Heruies  Trisuiegistus,*  179, 

180, 181,  200,  201,  205. 
Heruiias,  197 
Uermopolis,  180. 
Herod,  107,  126. 
Herod    Autipas,    107,    127, 

147,  154,  155. 156. 
llerodias,  154,  156. 
Hezckiah,  170. 
Hoar,  .ludge,  212. 
Holy  of  Holies,  33,  65. 
Holy   Spirit,  49,   169,    170 ; 

deificatiou  of,  50,  200,  204 ; 
Homer,  19,  78. 
Homilies  *  on  Luke,186, 187, 

188. 
Hone,  161.  182. 
Horeb,  12,  66. 
Huet,  16,  27. 
Hystaspes,    7,  36,    71,    72, 

188. 

Idol,  25. 

Idolatry,  13,  18,  21,  25,  27  - 

29,83 
Images,  27. 
India,  187. 
Indians,  187 
Inspiration,  72.  73- 
Ircuseus,*7S,  173,  182,  183, 

187 
Isaac,  148. 

Isaiah,*  23,  32,  73,197. 
Isaiah,  Ascension  of,  *"  7,77, 

169  - 172. 
Isis,  153. 
Italv,  55,61,  62,  79,  81,  83, 

84,   85;    religion    of,   19, 

politics  of,  84. 

Jacob,  22,  31, 141,  148,  191, 
192. 

Jambres,  122. 

James,  11,  156,157,158 

Jannes,  122. 

Jeremiah,*  73,  90,  112. 

Jerome.*  186,  189. 

Jerusalem,  rebuilding  of. 
31.  32.  33;  the  Heavenly. 
33 ;  Temple  at,  32,  34.  3a. 
79 ;  Council  at,  8,  28,  46, 
47. 

Je.sus,  153;  birth  of,  115, 
116, 171. 190.  202  :  mission 
of,  27, 170,  206  -  213,  215  : 
underworld  mi.'^sion  of 
29,  85.  177  :  deification  of, 
60,  190-201,  204  ;  per- 
sonal appearance  of,  .39  - 
42,  75.  1.52.  160  :  Deity  of 
the  0.  Test.,  38.  .39;  an 
anRpl.  190.  191.  194  :  an 
apostle,  190,  191  ;  a  sub- 
ordinate God.  194  ■  a  ser- 
vant, 192,  193,  200 :  a 
subordinate        workman, 


177,  195 ,  duration  of  his 
ministry,  171  :  pre-exist- 
ent,  170,  100,  192,  197; 
the  Beloved.  170  ;  tem- 
porary disuse  of  word,  75, 
76,  193,199. 

Jews,  Liberalist,  28  ;  expul- 
sion of,  from  Rome,  34. 

John,  Ep  of,*  58,  93. 

John,  Gospel  of,*  31,  58,  65, 
76,  111,  119.  123,  150,184, 
185.  188, 1S9,  199,  204. 

John,  style  of,  92. 

John,  the  Baptist,  38,  48, 
49,  74,  94,  98,  101,  154. 
155,  156,  173. 

Jonathan,  high-priest,  155. 

Jones,  161. 

Joppa,  95. 

Jordan,  49  ;   takes  fire,  175 

Joseph,  the  carpenter,  108, 
115,  116,  126,  132,  171, 
202. 

Joseph  of  .\rimathea,  5,  88. 
134,  135,  136,  138,  139, 
140,  142 

Joscphus,*  34,  65,  74,  79. 
158  ;  interpolations  of,  6, 
153-157. 

Joshua,  193. 

Judah,  22 

Judas  Iscariot,  41,  89,  90, 
112,  158. 

Judas,  158,  159. 

Jude,  Ep  of,  57. 

Judgment,  The,  172. 

Julian,  167. 

Jupiter,  22 :  Capitolinus, 
65  ;  Pluvius,  167. 

Justin  Martyr,*  17,  19,  23, 
34,  37,  43,  50,  51,  52.  75, 
78.  ISO,  167,  175,  178,  189, 
195,  197,  198,  199,  200, 
203,  204. 

Just  Wen,  12.  13,  44,  60; 
two  ages  of,  59. 

Kave,  19,  22.    23,    24,   25, 

26. 
King  from  the  East,  207. 
Koenigsberg.  211. 
Kuhnapfel,  Rudolph,  211. 

Lactantius,*  18,  32, 174, 200, 
205 

Lahore,  151. 

Lamson,  2.  22.  23,  27.  70. 

Laodicea,  Council  of,  45. 

Lardner,  149.  167. 

Laurence.  169. 

Law,  Ceremonial,  Jewish. 
.Mosaic.  6,  8  9.  10,  11.  13, 
46  47,56,59,60  66.67,73, 
119.  178  :  new.  111,  206; 
Unman,  64.  164  ;  none 
given  by  heathen  deities. 
20 ;  given  through  an 
angel,  24 ;  book  of  the, 
142;  ofGod,  173, 175. 


Law-less  One,  32,  34. 

Law-le.ss,  (heathen?)  56,  57, 

.    174,177. 

Law-lessncss,  56. 

l^azarus.  111,  122,  125,  146. 

Lebbeus,  158. 

Leutulus,  6,  42,  84,  151. 

Lexicon,  I'ierer's,  6. 

Leyden,  80. 

Library,  216,  217  ;  Vatican, 
203. 

Liddell  &  Scott,  178. 

Locke,  208. 

Loeos,  20,  47,  75,  76,  177, 
190  -  197. 

Longinus,  132. 

Lord's  Day,  44,  45,  84,  110, 
137,  138. 

Lord's  Supper,  49,  50,  51, 
74. 

Love,  altar  to,  26. 

Low  Countries.  208. 

I.ucilius,  162. 163. 

Luke,  74,  85,  90,  92  ;  Gos- 
pel of.»  65.  74.86.  95,107, 
112,  124.  154,  184.  185, 
186.  187, 188. 189, 204. 

Lusitanica,  151. 

Lyons,  47,  63. 

Lyslra.  21. 

Macedonian  Months,  74. 
Macherus,  155. 
Macknight.  207. 
Maecenas,  82. 
Man,  an  aeon,  50;  creation 

of,  iv. 
Manasseh,  169.  170. 
Maudelium.  109.  110. 
Marcion,  77,  107,  184,  185, 

187. 
Marcionites.  185.  188. 
Mark,  92.  202  ;  Gospel  of,* 
44,47,49,65  86.  92,  124, 
184,   185     186    202,    203, 
204,  205;    Epitome    sub- 
joined to,  90,  91. 
Mary,  »8,  89.  108,  115,  116, 

130,  132. 135.  171,  202. 
Mary  .Magdalene,  88,  69,  90. 
Massachusetts,  212. 
Master-God.  52.  200,  205. 
Matthew,  92,    201 ;    Gospel 
of,*  33,  47.  57.  60,  65,  86, 
92  124,  132. 140,  154,  182, 
184,  185,    186    187,   188, 
189,  201.  204,  206. 
Matthias.  187 
Meat  offered  to  idols,  8,  9, 

21. 
Mercieres,  209. 
Mercury,  a  planet,  76. 
Mercury  ;  see  Hermes. 
Messala',  164. 
Michael,  169. 
Middleton,  144. 
Millennium,  31,  32. 
Minos,  25. 
Minucius  Felix,*  26,  47. 


WORDS   AND   SUBJECTS. 


225 


Miracles,  ir,  2,  3,  4,122, 123. 
124. 

Mitchell,  213 

Monev,  the  Sacred.  153 

Monothei.^m,  16,  19,  67,  58, 
67.  73,  81,  208. 

Moiiotheist,  Monotheists, 
14.  15, 16,  19,  57,  68,  69, 
114,  124,  134.  196,  205  ; 
the  twelve,  115,  116,  117, 
125  ;  .«<■«  Gentile. 

Moral  Kuler,  acknowledged 
by  communities  only 
which  believe  in  revela- 
tion, iii. 

Moses,  iii,  8,  10,  12,  13, 18, 
19,  22,  38.  41,  43.  47,  59, 
67,  73, 120,  122,  148,  191, 
192. 

Mosheim.  15, 183. 

Mystics,  188. 

Nartz,  211. 
Nazireth,  171,  201. 
Naziirene.1,  152,  186. 
Nero,  35.  65,   162,  163,  164, 

165. 
Kew  Jersey,  211. 
New      Testament,    Apocr}'- 

phal,  161,  182. 
Nicodemus,    106.   107.    108, 

121  122. 123, 125. 134, 135, 

142  ;  Gospel  of,  4,  5 
Noah,  12,  13,  18,  39,  69, 148, 

200. 
Norton.  21,  41,   50,  71,  78, 

92.  132, 184, 186,  201,  203, 

208. 

Octavius,  27,  47. 

Ogdoad,  50. 

Old  Testament,    predictions 

in,  7, 14, 17,  37,  38, 39,  85, 

205. 
Ophites,  188. 
Oracles,  24. 

0  ratio  ad  Graecos,*  197. 
Origen.*  16.  26,  39.  47,   68, 

71,  78,  186,  187,  189,  203, 

205. 
Orion,  148. 
Orosius,*65,  80. 
Orpheus,  pseudo,*179. 
Orthodoxographa,  143,  144, 

145, 151. 
Orthodox,  194. 

Paley,  62. 

Palm-Sundav,  84,  110. 

Pantanus.  187. 

Papias,*  31.  32. 

Paradise,  132. 

Passover,  133 

Patriarchs,  38,  59, 148,  192. 

Paula.  189. 

Paul,  9,21,  28,43,44,47.62, 

63,  69,   73.  85,  91,  161  - 

166,  188  214. 


Paullinus.  C.  S.,166 

Pegasus.  23. 

People,  31,  115,  173 

Peripatetics,  68. 

Per.-eus,  23. 

Peter.  8,  11.  46.  50.  56,  69, 
90.  92.  112.  187,  188,  202, 
203  ;  Kp.  of,*  56,  57,  73. 

Pharaoh,  122,  126. 

Pharisees,  88.  112. 

Philemon,  Ep.  to,  64. 

Philip,  king,  165. 

Philip,  apostle,  184  ;  daugh- 
ters of,  184. 

Philippi,  213. 

Philo,  67. 

Philosophers,  67,  68  ;  phys- 
ical, 68. 

Philosophumena.*  15,  188. 

Philo.sophv,  66-68;  Greek, 
66-68;'  Hebrew,  67: 
origin  of,  66.  67;  antiq- 
uity of,  66,  67. 

Phineas,  141. 

Pierer's  Lexicon,  6. 

Pilate,  surrender  of,  146, 
149;  wife  of,  87,  114.  115, 
121 ;  see  Acts  of  Pilate. 

Pilate's  Report,  5,  17,  105, 
142  -  149. 

Plato.  19,  68,  78,  81;  his 
views  of  demons,  26 ; 
treatise  of,  76. 

Platonics,  68 

Platonists,  68. 

Pleroma,  77. 

Pliny  Sen..  15,  69. 

Plutarch,  64. 

Pollio,  Vitrusius,  168. 

Pollux,  163. 

Polycarp,  55 

Pompeiiinus,  167. 

Pompoiiius,  69. 

Practical  -  monotheism,  or 
Practical  piety,  57,  58,  73, 
146,  148,  180. 

Praitorium,  114,  118,  119, 
120,  129,  145. 

Preaching  of  Peter,  188. 

Predictions,  1,  72;  see  Old 
Testjiment. 

Preparation,  137. 

Procla  ;  see  Pilate,  wife  of 

Prophet,  true,  or  of  truth, 
152. 

Prophets,  59,  67,  120. 

Pro-selytes.  116. 

Providence,  200. 

Prussia,  211  212 

Psalms,*  132,  152 

Pyriphlegethon.  25. 

Pythagoreans,  68 

Pythian  Priestess,  25. 

Quadratus,  184. 

Race,    Third,    56;    Jewish, 

127.  146. 
Kachiuiti,  100. 


Ra,sos  or  Rosos,  130 

Re.ison   47,  195,  196. 

Keatc.  1<j3. 

Regions,  Lower,  171. 

Religion,  Greek,  Roman, 
106. 

Renovation,  36. 

Resurrection,  15,  30,  31,  45, 
174;  of  Jesus,  85,  88,106, 
120,  137,  138,  139,  142; 
ot  Lazarus,  125,  146 ;  of 
saints,  88, 148, 149;  of  the 
Just,  31,34;  physical,  30, 
31 ;  Jewish  view  of,  .30, 31 ; 
Stoic  view  of,  30;  Chris- 
tian view  of,  30,  31 ;  body 
spherical,  16. 

Revelation,  through  Moses, 
through  Jesus,  iii ;  none 
from  heathen  deities,  20. 

Rhadamanthus,  25. 

Rheinwald,  45,  46 

Robinson,  Prof.  E.,  151. 

Roman,  Empire,  61 ;  society, 
69  ;  ma.sters,  118  ;  rule, 
119;  power,  159  ;  goverQ- 
meut,  208. 

Romans,  Ep.  to,*  43,  58. 

Romans,  56,  82,  173,  208. 

Rome,  17,  28,  34,  6.",  156, 
202;  destruction  of,  33. 

Roulh,  46,  47. 

Rufus,  129. 

Sabbath,  9,  11,  12  13,  32, 
42  43  44  45, 84,  108,  109, 
118,  123,  1.36,  137.  138, 
146.  147,  148  ;  term  for 
Sunday,  44  ;  ce.ssation 
from  labor  on,  42,111. 

Sacrifice  or  Sacrifices  9,  13, 
21,25,  206 

S,adducecs.  157. 

Samael,169,  170. 

Samaria,  34 

Samaritans,  34. 

Samuel,  a  prophet,  23. 

Sanhedrim,  133,  157. 

Satan,  23,  70,  170. 

Saturn,  a  god,  37;  a  planet, 
173. 

Savior,  22,  76,95,  149;  the 
aeon,  171. 

Sedgwick,  216. 

Semler,  68 

Sen  ite,  15,  19,  20,  61,  167. 

Seneca,*  pseudo  letters  of, 
4,161-166 

Septuagint,  33,  132. 

Serapion,  187 

Seventh  day,  32.  173. 

Sexes,  relations  of,  8. 

Shiloh,  22. 

Sibylla,  7,19,  71,72,188. 

Sibylline  Oracles,*  writings, 
verses,  19,  20,  65,  71,  80, 
81,85,172-179. 

Sibyllists.  71. 

Sib>la,  146. 


226 


WORDS   AND   SUBJECTS. 


Silianus,  A.  L.  N.,  166. 
Simeon,  sons  of,  142. 
Simon,  34. 

Simon,  the  Cyreuiiin,  129. 
Simon  .Magus,  34,  187. 
Slavery,  64,  65,  213. 
Smith,    Diet,   of  Biog.,   82, 

176,  191. 
Smyth,  Lect.  on  Mod.  Hist., 

208. 
Socrates,  19. 
Sodom,  176. 
Son  of  God,  117,  121,  125, 

131,  143,  150,   152,   158, 

159,  172,    173,    174,  179, 

190,  196,  200. 
Soul,  in  the  blood,  46. 
South  Carolina,  211,  212. 
Spain,  61,  208. 
Spirit,  Divine,  73 ;  prophetic, 

191,205;  5fe  Holy  Spirit. 
Standards,   homage  of,   85, 

113,  114. 
Statue,  of  Claudius.  34,  35  ; 

of  Simon  Magus,  34 ;  of  a 

Sabine  Deity,  34. 
Stega.s,128. 

Stoics,  19, 36, 58, 66,  68, 166. 
Stroud,  211,  212. 
Suetonius,*  85. 
Suidas,  167. 
Sunday,   44,    45,   46,   173; 

edicts  concerning,  45  ;  not 

the  Sabbath ,  44, 45 ;  Palm, 

84,  110. 
Supreme  Being,  15,  16,  173, 

180.  194,  207. 
Switzerland,  210,  211. 
Syria,  17,  61,  74, 154,  156. 

Tacitus,*34,  09,  85,  212. 


Tatian,»23,  52,  63.  68,  75, 
78.  182,  183,  184.  199. 

Tele.'^inus.  0   S..  166. 

Temple,  119.  120.  174,  175; 
burned,  79 ;  destruction 
of,  32,  79,  85;  statue  in. 
34. 

Tertullian,*  2,  17,  25,  26, 
30,39,63,69,  77,  142,145, 
146,  167,  187,  205,  206. 

Thaddeus,  158. 

Thaddeus,  pseudo,  85,  150, 
15'5,  159,  160, 161. 

Theodoret,  184. 

Theodosius,  5, 6. 

Theophilus,*  68, 75,  78, 182, 
199,200. 

Tbessalonians,  Ep.  to,  57, 
85. 

Thilo,  4,  5,  6.  90,  91,  106, 
107,  110.  124,  126,  133, 
142,  143,  145,  146. 

Thomas,  158, 187. 

Tiber,  34. 

Tiberius,  3,  5,  54,  63,  74,  81. 
105,  114,  117,  120,  125, 
126,  142,  143,  145,  146, 
149,154,155,156,161,194, 
212. 

Timothy,  Ep.  to,*  95. 

Tischendorf,  182,  203. 

Titus,  9,  10;  Ep.  to,*  57. 

Titus,  emperor,  65,  79,  204. 

Tobias,  158,  159. 

Toparch.  5,  106,  107. 

Trajan,  80. 

Trinity,  doctrine  of,  50. 

Tri.smegistus  ;  see  Hermes. 

Troas,  95. 

TrogvUium.  95 

Truth,  93,  94,  101,  119. 


Trypho,   12,  31,    190,  192, 
206. 

Unbelief,   prosecutions  for, 

14,  15,  54 
Unbeliever,  Unbelievers,  54, 

55,  56. 
Underworld,  The,  6.  29,  35, 

44,  142,  148,  160, 174, 177, 

178 
Universe,  spherical,  16, 
United  States,  211. 

Valentinians,  77,   171,   185, 

187,  188. 
Valentinianup,  riavius,  6. 
Valentinus,  185. 
Vatienus,  163. 
Venus,  76. 
Vespasian,  203.  204. 
A'ictorinus  of  Pettaw,  32. 
Vienne,  47,  63. 
Virgil,*  82. 

Virgin,  177  ;  sacred,  174. 
Vitellius,  154,  155, 156. 
Von    der   Wart,     Rudolph, 

210. 

Walch,  151. 

War,   65.  209,    212;    under 

Hadrian,  65,  80,  126,  173, 

190. 
Wesley,  183. 
Whately,  207. 
Wheeling,    a    penalty,  210, 

211 
William  III.,  208. 
Wisdom  of  Solomon,  27. 
Wise  men,  201. 

Xavier,  Francis,  151. 


Date  Due                         1 

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*   )4 


•-,1  •   '^•■''*     '.-     (^     -•»    » 


r        »  -«v    '    * 


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BS2555.4.H89 

Indirect  testimony  of  history  to  the 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00013  4959 


